Revelations: The Power of Love
by Evangelion Xgouki
Summary: SxA fic. Update: Added Chapter 23 The 17th Angel attacks and Shinji receives some help from an unexpected source.
1. Confrontation

Disclaimer: I do not own Shinji, Asuka, or any of the Neon Genesis Evangelion characters or anything associated with NGE.  
Chapter 1  
  
A young, purple-haired woman sits on a wooden chair in the apartment's living room. A large pile of papers litters the table in front of her. She picks up a half-empty can of Yebisu beer and quickly finishes it off, tossing it aside. The can clatters to the floor, adding to the collection of empty beer cans on the floor. She sighs, collecting a set of the papers and laying them font in front of her. Her eyes scan over the text before she lets out a groan, hanging her head.  
  
"I hate doing the paper work!!" exclaims Misato Katsuragi.  
  
Slowly, she begins the process of reading and completing the forms before her. Behind her, a lone figure sneaks through the darkened hallway. The figure never lets Misato out of its sight as it makes its way to its destination. The figure encounters a door with a small, heart-shaped wooden sign on it. The words 'Shinji's Lovely Sweet' are written on the sign. Stealthily, the figure opens the door and quickly steps inside, shutting the door as soon as it entered the room.  
A young boy lies on top of the covers of his bed. His hands are resting behind his head as he gazes up at the white ceiling of his room. He has a set of headphone buds in his ear, which are connected to the SDAT in his left hand. Shinji Ikari closes his eyes and starts to drift off into sleep when he hears his door open, and then close. Curious, he pulls the buds from his ears and sits upright in his bed. He shifts slightly, changing his position so that he faces the door. Through the darkness, he can make out a figure standing in front of his door. He squints his eyes slightly, trying to get a better look at the figure. As his eyes adjust to the darkness, he instantly recognizes the intruder.  
  
"A-Asuka?"  
  
In front of the door stands the Second Child, Asuka Langley Sohryu, with her back to the door and hands behind her back. She is dressed in a loose fitting, yellow T-Shirt and short, blue shorts. Her gaze shifts from the floor to the visibly shocked boy before her.  
  
"Um, what do you want Asuka?" asks Shinji in a nervous tone.  
  
"What? I can't come in and visit you now?"  
  
She places her hands on her hips, tilting her head slightly to the right.  
  
"Besides, I'm bored."  
  
Shinji audibly gulps at the phrase 'I'm bored.' Normally, it was just a casual phrase. Coming from Asuka, on the other hand, was something totally different. He remembers what had happened the last time she had said that. She had kissed him and held his nose for the duration of the kiss. Looking back on it, he didn't really mind the entire thing, but he had almost suffocated. Being nervous, Shinji said the first thing that came to mind.  
  
"Er, um, you wanna play cards or something?"  
  
"No."  
  
Asuka slowly makes her way towards Shinji, advancing towards him with her hands behind her back. She never takes her eyes off of the frightened boy. Acting on instinct, he begins to back away from her.  
  
"Are you scared, Shinji?"  
  
She leans over and places her hands on his bed. Some of her red hair slides off of her shoulders and hangs freely in front of her.  
  
Shinji swallows as his gaze slowly moves from her eyes down her body. Being a teenager, his wandering eyes stop at the collar of her shirt, noticing exactly how 'loose-fitting' the shirt really is. He continues to shift backwards on his bed until he finds himself up against the wall. Not failing to notice this, Asuka crawls towards the cornered Shinji.  
  
"Trying to run away?"  
  
Asuka smiles evilly at him and pounces on the helpless boy. She straddles his waist, wrapping her arms around his neck.  
  
"A-A-Asuka.."  
  
"Are you scared?" she asks in a seductive tone.  
  
Shinji tenses up, perspiration covering his body as he tries not to look at the girl in front of him. He shuts his eyes, his instincts telling him to run, but is unable to with Asuka on top of him. Being so close, Shinji is able to hear Asuka's breathing. The smell of the shampoo she uses to wash her hair assaults his senses.  
  
Images begin to run through is head of his many unpleasant, and usually painful, encounters with Asuka. The images start off slow, gradually increasing in speed as they change. The sound of Asuka's insults join the display. Every insult she had said to him was repeating in his head, right down to her cold, venomous tone. The images and insults flood his brain, changing faster and faster until it is all a blur and unrecognizable sounds. Then, everything stops and goes black. One final image fills the void, lingering longer than the others. It is one of Asuka standing, pointing her finger at the person in front of her with a very angry expression on her face.  
  
"You are pathetic!"  
  
Shinji's eyes bolt open. His eyes focus on the girl before him, instantly filling with all of his pent up anger and hatred.  
  
"NO!" he yells as he harshly pushes Asuka off of him.  
  
She lands on her rear on the floor. For a moment, she remains frozen in shock at the usually timid boy's actions, but quickly recovers.  
  
"Why you..."  
  
"NO! Stop using me! That's all you ever do! All you ever do is use me and insult me! I've had enough of it!! GET OUT!"  
  
He points to the door, his arm trembling slightly. His gaze remains on the wall before him, totally avoiding eye contact with Asuka.  
  
Asuka remains on the floor, starting in utter shock at Shinji, unable to say anything. She snaps out of her trance, the words quickly sinking in.  
  
"I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU!" she yells, tears flowing from her eyes.  
  
Asuka runs out of Shinji's room, slamming the door behind her. She runs to her room and closes the door. Then she falls onto her pillow, burying her face in it.  
Misato looks up as she hears yelling coming from Shinji's room.  
  
"What now? Do they have to fight this late?"  
  
She sighs and stands up, making her way towards Shinji's room. Just before she reaches his door, Asuka bursts out of the room and runs into her room. Concerned, she knocks on Shinji's door.  
  
"Shinji-kun? Are you ok? Can I come in?"  
  
"Go away.."  
  
Misato frowns at his response.  
  
"He sounds different. Something bad must've happened," she thinks.  
  
"Shinji-kun, what happ."  
  
"I SAID LEAVE ME ALONE!!"  
  
Misato nearly jumps back at Shinji's reply. She stares at the door in shock. After a few moments, she heads over to Asuka's room and knocks on her door, hoping to get some answers.  
  
"Asuka?"  
  
"Leave me alone."  
  
"Asuka? Are you."  
  
"JUST LEAVE ME ALONE!"  
  
Misato almost jumps away from her door. She steps back and glances from Shinji's door to Asuka's door.  
  
"What the hell just happened? I've never seen Shinji-kun act like this before. Maybe it'll pass by tomorrow. Right now, I need a beer..."  
  
Misato walks over to the fridge and pulls out a can of beer. She opens it as she heads back to the living room. She sits down and looks back at Shinji's door.  
  
"Shinji-kun..." 


	2. Friends

Chapter 2  
  
5 days later……..  
  
Misato and Ritsuko are standing outside of the 7th cage, which stores Eva Unit 01.  
  
"Is something bothering you, Misato?" asks Ritsuko.  
  
"It's Shinji and Asuka."  
  
"What happened?"  
  
"I really don't know. All I know is that they haven't left their rooms for five days! They only leave to get something to eat or go to the bathroom. I would try to talk to them, but they just ignore me!"  
  
Misato slumps over on the railing.  
  
"Did anything else happen?"  
  
"Yeah, this whole thing started after they had a fight or something. I'm not sure as to what exactly happened. Neither of them are their usual selves. What should I do, Ritsuko?"  
  
"Well, I would say talk to them, but it appears that that won't work. Have you tried having their friends talk to them?"  
  
Misato stands straight up.  
  
"That's a great idea! I'm sure Toji and Kensuke could get Shinji back to normal and Hikari could get Asuka back! Thank you Ritsu-chan!"  
  
Misato rushes off to make some phone calls.  
  
"What a mother does for her children…"  
  
Ritsuko walks off towards her office.  
  
  
  
  
  
Later that afternoon…..  
  
Toji and Kensuke stand in front of Misato's door.  
  
"Wonder what happened to Shinji? I haven't seen him for a while," says Kensuke.  
  
"I don't know, but from how Misato sounded, it was serious."  
  
"Toji! Mr. Aida! What are you doing here?"  
  
Both boys turn around to find Hikari standing behind them.  
  
"Oh, um, hi class rep!" responds Kensuke.  
  
Kensuke elbows Toji.  
  
"So, since when did she start calling you 'Toji' and not 'Mr. Suzuhara,' huh? Have you finally told her that you……..Ow!!"  
  
Kensuke rubs where Toji punched him in the arm.  
  
"Toji! What did you do that for?"  
  
"Well, he, um…."  
  
The door opened, revealing Misato.  
  
"Oh, you're here already! Please, come in!"  
  
"Saved, eh, Toji?" whispers Kensuke.  
  
"After you, class rep."  
  
Hikari walks pass the two boys and into the apartment. Toji follows her.  
  
"He really likes her.."  
  
Kensuke walks into the apartment.  
  
  
  
  
  
The three students are seated around the table with Misato.  
  
"You're probably wondering why I called you here."  
  
"Yeah, we are," responds Toji.  
  
"Well, to get down to the point, Shinji and Asuka just aren't acting like their normal selves."  
  
"That happens a lot with Shinji," says Kensuke.  
  
"Yes, but not like this. They haven't left their rooms for the past five days and they won't talk to anyone."  
  
"So, you want us to try to get 'em back to normal, right?" asks Toji.  
  
"Basically, yes."  
  
Toji gets Kensuke in a headlock.  
  
"Don't worry! Me and Kensuke here can get ol' Shinji back! We've done it before and we're his best fiends!"  
  
Toji releases Kensuke.  
  
"Yeah, what he said."  
  
Kensuke adjusts his glasses.  
  
"Great! Shinji's room is right over there. Um, I would suggest you knock first."  
  
Toji and Kensuke head towards Shinji's room.  
  
  
  
  
  
Toji knocks on Shinji's door.  
  
"Oi! Shinji! It's us! Toji and Kensuke!"  
  
They wait awhile with no response coming from Shinji.  
  
"Shinji! You in there or what?"  
  
Kensuke presses his ear against the door and hears some shuffling inside.  
  
"What do you want?"  
  
"We're here to talk some sense into ya!"  
  
"I..just wanna be alone. Please leave me alone…"  
  
"There you go with that 'alone' attitude of yours! Geez, don't make me come in there and beat some sense into ya!!"  
  
"Just leave me alone…."  
  
"Man, did that red-headed demon do something to ya?"  
  
Suddenly, the door opens, revealing Shinji looking down at the floor.  
  
"Well, welcome back, Shin…"  
  
Toji is cut off by Shinji's right fist connecting with his jaw. It results in Toji falling onto the floor. Kensuke can only stare in shock at Shinji as he closes the door.  
  
"Oi! Toji! You ok?"  
  
"Yeah…."  
  
Toji rubs his jaw.  
  
"What brought that about?"  
  
"I don't know. May be it has to do with you calling Asuka a demon again."  
  
The boys stare at each other.  
  
"Toji, do you think…?"  
  
"Him and her? Never."  
  
Kensuke helps Toji up and they head back into the living room.  
  
  
  
  
  
Hikari knocks on Asuka's door.  
  
"Asuka? It's me Hiakari."  
  
"Please go away Hikari."  
  
"Come on Asuka! You can talk to me. Or is the best Eva pilot giving up?"  
  
"I hope this works," she thinks.  
  
"Just leave me alone."  
  
"Asuka…"  
  
"Please…"  
  
Hikari stares at the door for a moment before heading back to the living room.  
  
  
  
  
  
Misato looks up and sees Toji and Kensuke walking back.  
  
"How did it go? Did you mange…Toji! What happened?!"  
  
"Oh, its nothing. Shinji just gave me a right hook. It's not that bad, really."  
  
"What till I get my hands on him….."  
  
"You shouldn't be angry at him, Misato."  
  
"And why not Kensuke?"  
  
"He seems to be going through a difficult time, I suggest you just let him be for a while and let it pass."  
  
"We tried our best Misato. You're right. We've never seen Shinji like this before."  
  
"And Asuka."  
  
The group turns to see Hikari walking back.  
  
"She won't even talk to me! She won't even say anything about being the best and….Toji! What happened to you?!"  
  
"Heh, so nothing's going on between you and the class rep., right?"  
  
"Shut up Kensuke!"  
  
"Well, thanks for trying, you guys. You want something for that Toji?"  
  
"Nah, I'll be fine. It's nothing. Let's go Kensuke."  
  
"Hey, wait for me!" shouts Hikari as she runs after them.  
  
The trio departs the apartment. Misato watches as they leave from the door. She heads back inside and grabs a beer. Penpen walks up to her side.  
  
"Wark?"  
  
Misato looks at the penguin.  
  
"I hope they can get over it too, Penpen. I hope so too…" 


	3. In the mind of Shinji and Asuka

Chapter 3  
  
Shinji lies in his bed, staring up at the ceiling. He has his buds in his ears and his SDAT player in his left hand. The player reads 'Track 26.' Shinji isn't paying attention to the music because he is occupied with his own thoughts. Soon, he is fast asleep.  
  
Shinji finds himself in a black void.  
  
"Where am I?"  
  
"In your mind, of course."  
  
Shinji turns around and sees himself.  
  
"Who are you?"  
  
"Can't you tell? I am you."  
  
"What do you want?"  
  
"To help you."  
  
"Help me?"  
  
"Yes, I know how you feel for Asuka."  
  
This causes Shinji to stare at the other him.  
  
"How do you…?"  
  
"I am you, remember?"  
  
"It doesn't matter anymore."  
  
"Oh, yes it does."  
  
"Just leave me alone."  
  
Shinji walks away from the other him to find that he is actually walking towards him.  
  
"Running away again, eh, Shinji? Your solution to everything."  
  
Shinji stops dead in his tracks.  
  
"Oh, please. Not that 'I mustn't run away' stuff again. That's getting really annoying. The redheaded demon IS right. You are a coward."  
  
He begins to laugh.  
  
"Don't call her that!"  
  
Shinji charges at the other him and tries to punch him, only to have his hand pass through his face.  
  
"What the…?"  
  
"Oh, just for the record, you can't hurt me."  
  
Shinji takes a step back.  
  
"Hm, guess you DO have a spine after all. Oh, that's right. You grew it when you pushed Asuka away!"  
  
Shinji looks at the ground, tears filling his eyes.  
  
"I didn't mean it. It's just that…she's always so mean to me…."  
  
"Ever thought about why she's so mean to you, Shinji?"  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Looks at it this way, how many people do you know that she calls 'baka' or 'ecchi' all the time?"  
  
Shinji thinks for a moment..  
  
"NO ONE! Damn, you are a baka… Anyway, why do think she calls you those names and teases you all the time?"  
  
"I don't know…."  
  
"Geez! Because she LIKES you!!"  
  
"She does?"  
  
"Yes! She does all that stuff to you because she knows you can take it and maybe because she's trying to improve your dull personality. Do you understand now?"  
  
"Yeah, pretty much…"  
  
"Great! Now I suggest you use that spine of yours and tell her how ya feel."  
  
Shinji nods and begins to run off.  
  
"Hold on a sec!"  
  
Shinji stops and turns around.  
  
"Try to stop apologizing all the time! It gets REALLY annoying."  
  
Shinji smiles and runs off.  
  
  
  
  
  
Shinji wakes up. He looks around his room and heads towards the door.  
  
  
  
  
  
Asuka lies in her room, fast asleep.  
  
  
  
  
  
Asuka looks around. She is in a place of total darkness.  
  
"Where am I?"  
  
"In your mind."  
  
Asuka turns around and sees a child version of herself.  
  
"Who are…?"  
  
"I am you."  
  
"Whatever. Anyway, I'm getting out of this place."  
  
"The great Asuka is running away? You sound like Shinji.."  
  
This causes Asuka to stop and face her younger self.  
  
"What did you say?"  
  
"I said 'You sound like Shinji.'"  
  
"Don't compare me to that baka!"  
  
"Or is it that you just wanna be..alone?"  
  
The words strike Asuka like a sword.  
  
"I..don't want to be alone…"  
  
"Then why do you push away those that care for you? Especially the one that you love?"  
  
"What are you talking about? I love no one!"  
  
"Right…. I know you care for Shinji."  
  
"Umph! That ecchi? Never! Not even if he was the last person left on this Earth!"  
  
"You know I'm right. You're just scared that'll he'll reject you and you'll be alone."  
  
"I am the great Asuka Langley Soryu!"  
  
"You know you love him, it's just that you're too scared to tell him."  
  
"I don't love him!"  
  
"Denial."  
  
"I don't love him! I…"  
  
Asuka falls to her knees as tears gather in her eyes.  
  
"I am you. I know everything about you. Tell him."  
  
"No…."  
  
"Remember, that the decision was yours.."  
  
The younger Asuka disappears, leaving Asuka alone in the darkness.  
  
  
  
  
  
Asuka wakes up and sits up.  
  
"I don't love him..," she mumbles.  
  
She stands up and changes into her yellow sundress. Slowly, she opens her door. Seeing nobody, she heads for the door and leaves the apartment.  
  
  
  
  
  
Shinji slowly opened his door and looked around. He walked towards the living room and found no one.  
  
"Guess Misato had to work…"  
  
Shinji makes his way to the kitchen to get something to eat. As he looks through the fridge, he glances up at Asuka's door.  
  
"It's open..," he mumbles.  
  
As if moved by some unseen force, he walks towards her room.  
  
"A-Asuka?" he manages to get out as he looks into the room.  
  
The room is empty.  
  
"Where did she go..?"  
  
Cautiously, he steps into the room and glances around. His eyes fall onto her pillow and trashcan. Her pillow has a large wet mark in the center and her trashcan is filled with used tissue. Suddenly, it strikes him.  
  
"She's been..crying?" 


	4. Advice

Chapter 4  
  
Asuka walks away from the apartment complex. She looks at the ground, so lost in her own thoughts that she has no idea where she is going. As she turns a corner, she hits somebody, causing her to fall backwards.  
  
"Hey! Watch where you're…..Kaji-kun!"  
  
Asuka looks up at the older man, happy to see him.  
  
"Hiya, Asuka."  
  
She gets back up and dusts herself off.  
  
"What are you doing here, Asuka?"  
  
"Well, I'm…"  
  
She then realizes that she has no clue as to where she is. She takes a moment to look around at her surroundings. She breathes a sigh of relief when she realizes that she is in the park.  
  
"Something's on your mind Asuka?"  
  
"No, nothing…"  
  
She looks at the ground, avoiding eye contact with Kaji.  
  
"You wanna talk about it? You know you can always talk to me."  
  
He smiles at her.  
  
"Well, ok."  
  
"Talking about your problems helps a lot."  
  
They sit down on a nearby bench.  
  
"So, what happened between you and Shinji?"  
  
"How did you..?"  
  
"Misato told me. I was just on my way over, then I ran into you."  
  
"She WHAT?!"  
  
"Hey, don't get mad at her. She thought that since your friends didn't help, that maybe I could. So, you going to tell me what happened?"  
  
"…….."  
  
"You know you can trust me."  
  
Asuka looks up at Kaji.  
  
"I was trying to be nice to that baka and then he pushed me away and yelled at me!"  
  
"You're not telling me everything, Asuka."  
  
"I did!"  
  
"I can tell. And besides, Shinji wouldn't just yell for any reason at all. What really happened?"  
  
Asuka looks at the ground, crossing her hands across her chest.  
  
"What really happened?"  
  
"Well, I got bored so I decided to have some fun with that baka. I sort of jumped on him and asked him if he wanted me…."  
  
"That would explain his reaction…"  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"I can see why he reacted the way he did."  
  
"Hmph. You mean that baka might have finally grown a spine?"  
  
"That's exactly it."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"What you just did."  
  
"He grew a spine?"  
  
"That's part of it, but the real reason is because of you."  
  
"Me? What did I ever do to him?"  
  
"What do you do to him almost every single day?"  
  
"Live with him?"  
  
"Wrong. All you ever do is insult him."  
  
"So?"  
  
"Ever thought about how it affects him?"  
  
"But…"  
  
"But what? That he's a spineless coward? I wouldn't agree with that. A coward wouldn't place his life on the line to protect those that he cares for, even though some of the those people may not care for him."  
  
"….."  
  
Kaji shakes his head.  
  
"You and Misato are his only family. You already know he hates his father and that his mother has passed away. And besides, I think you like him."  
  
Kaji smiles at Asuka as her face turns red.  
  
"Kaji-kun! How could I like him?!"  
  
"Ok, but I think he likes you."  
  
"Ha! I am the most beautiful girl in all of Tokyo 3!"  
  
"I mean it. Why else would he put up with your insults and come to your aid in a fight?"  
  
"I…."  
  
Kaji glances at his watch.  
  
"Look at the time! I have to meet with the Commander."  
  
He stands up and heads off towards the Geo-Front. He stops for a moment and faces Asuka.  
  
"Think about what I said."  
  
With that, he runs off, leaving Asuka to reflect on his words. 


	5. Feelings Revealed

Chapter 5  
  
Asuka slowly opens the door to Misato's apartment. She walks inside and looks around.  
  
"Shinji?"  
  
She walks over to his room and knocks on the door.  
  
"Shinji? Can I come in? Its me, Asuka."  
  
After getting no response, she cautiously opens his door and peeks inside. She sees Shinji lying on his bed, asleep, listening to his SDAT player. She unconsciously smiles.  
  
"He looks so cute," she thinks.  
  
Asuka shakes her head at the thought.  
  
"Why am I thinking that?! He's nothing but a baka ecchi," she thinks.  
  
Then she remembers what Kaji had said and her dream.  
  
"Guess I should at least apologize to him…"  
  
She glances at the clock, which reads 5:00pm.  
  
  
  
  
  
Shinji stirs in his bed. He turns over and something catches his nose. He bolts upright in his bed and looks at the clock, which reads 6:00pm.  
  
"Oh, no! Don't tell me Misato cooked!!" he thought with a look of dread on his face.  
  
He took another sniff of the air.  
  
"Wait a sec, nothing's burning and it actually smells good…"  
  
Cautiously, he walks over to the door and opens it. He slowly makes his way to the kitchen. As he walks inside, he stops suddenly at the person standing before him: Asuka.  
  
Sensing someone behind her, Asuka turns around and faces a nervous, and semi-shocked, Shinji.  
  
"You're finally up, eh?"  
  
"Um, yeah…"  
  
Shinji snaps out of his trance.  
  
"Uh, did you cook, Asuka?"  
  
"Yup! I got hungry so I decided to cook something."  
  
"She didn't try to get me up? That's weird," he thinks.  
  
"Well?"  
  
"Well what?"  
  
"Aren't you going to eat?"  
  
Shinji then notices that there are two plates set on the table.  
  
"Gomen…"  
  
He sits down at the table and studies the food on his plate. He glances up from the plate and sees Asuka standing at the other end of the table with her hands on her hips. Slowly, he picks up his chopsticks and grabs a piece of the food and puts it in his mouth.  
  
"I hope he likes it," she thinks.  
  
"Wow! This stuff is great!"  
  
"YESSS!" she cheers mentally.  
  
"Of course! It was made by me, wasn't it?"  
  
Asuka sits down to eat her own food.  
  
  
  
  
  
After they finish eating, Shinji approaches Asuka.  
  
"Asuka, I'm, I'm sorry about what I did to you a few days ago…."  
  
Shinji hangs his head.  
  
"Baka! Why do you always have to be sorry for everything?!"  
  
Asuka looks at the floor.  
  
"And besides, I'm the one who should be apologizing to you…"  
  
This causes Shinji to look up at Asuka.  
  
"Huh?"  
  
Kaji's words repeat over in her mind.  
  
"I should be sorry. I'm always picking on you. It was my fault. You had the right to do what you did…"  
  
Shinji just stands there and listens to what Asuka is saying. Suddenly, images from his dream flash through his mind.  
  
"Asuka, um, there's been something I've been meaning to tell you…," he says nervously.  
  
Asuka regains her posture and looks at the nervous boy.  
  
"Well?"  
  
"Well, um, you see…I…I"  
  
"Just say it already!"  
  
"I love you!"  
  
Shinji closes his eyes and tenses up, waiting for Asuka to yell at him and punch and/or kick him. After a few moments of hearing no insults and feeling no pain, he cautiously opens his eyes and looks at Asuka.  
  
"Asuka?"  
  
Asuka is looking at the floor, her dream playing back in her head.  
  
"Asuka?"  
  
She looks up at Shinji.  
  
"You…love me?"  
  
"Um, yeah. I guess I have for a while, but I've just been too much of a coward to admit it to myself, let alone you."  
  
"I have something to confess, also."  
  
Shinji looks curiously at her.  
  
"I love you, too."  
  
This causes an immediate reaction from Shinji. His eyes widen at the words.  
  
"R-really?"  
  
"Yeah, I guess I was also too afraid to admit it…"  
  
They both look at the floor. After a while, Shinji breaks the silence.  
  
"Asuka.."  
  
Asuka looks up at him and is shocked as his lips press against hers. At first, she just stands there, but them returns the kiss. They break after a moment.  
  
"Guess you finally DID grow a spine!"  
  
Shinji chuckles.  
  
"I guess I did. Kissing is better when you don't have someone holding your nose."  
  
They look at each other for a moment before laughing at the comment.  
  
Asuka is the first to stop laughing. She stares at Shinji.  
  
"Shinji…"  
  
Shinji stops laughing and looks at her.  
  
"Asuka…"  
  
They embrace each other as they kiss each other, this time more passionately, and longer, than the last.  
  
  
  
  
  
Misato steps into her apartment. She looks around.  
  
"It just isn't the same without Asuka picking on Shinji… I need a beer now."  
  
She walks towards the kitchen. As she enters the doorway, she stops dead in her tracks and stares, wide-eyed in shock, at the scene in front of her.  
  
"Shinji…and Asuka….kissing…?" she thinks.  
  
She regains her wits and leans against the doorway.  
  
"Well, it looks like you two have finally made up."  
  
Shinji and Asuka break the kiss and stare at their guardian, faces red with embarrassment.  
  
"Mi-Misato!"  
  
"How long have you been standing there?!"  
  
Misato smiles at Asuka.  
  
"Long enough. So, how long has this been going on, anyways?"  
  
Shinji manages to recover.  
  
"Well, we just confessed our love to each other while you were gone."  
  
Shinji casually wraps his hand around Asuka's shoulders. In response, Asuka wraps her arm around his.  
  
"So Shinji has finally become a man! Congratulations!!"  
  
"Misato!!!"  
  
"Hehe. Yup, you're back to normal all right. Since you two are now in love, I don't want to catch you two doing things you aren't suppose to be doing."  
  
Shinji turns beat-red.  
  
"M-M-Misato!!"  
  
"I think I'll just leave you two alone."  
  
Misato walks pass the couple and head to the fridge.  
  
"Screw one beer. I need a case of 'em now!!" she thinks.  
  
  
  
  
  
The next day….  
  
"Hey, Toji!"  
  
"Huh?"  
  
Toji looks up from his desk at Kensuke.  
  
"What do you want?"  
  
"Well, I'm curious. Did you get a call from Misato last night?"  
  
"Yeah, I did."  
  
"Well, what do suppose she means by that we should be in for some surprises?"  
  
Toji shrugs.  
  
"I don't know. But at least Shinji will be coming back."  
  
"And Asuka"  
  
Both boys turn around to face Hikari.  
  
"I expect you two to be nice to her when she come back."  
  
"Yeah, yeah…"  
  
The door to the classroom slides open. The entire class looks towards the door, then almost everyone's jaws hit the floor, the others just pass out. Shinji and Asuka walk in, hand in hand, both of them smiling.  
  
"I'll see you later," says Shinji.  
  
"Baka. We're in the same class!''  
  
"Heh. I know."  
  
Shinji leans over and gives Asuka a quick kiss. This causes a majority of the students who are still standing to pass out. Shinji sits in his seat. Only then does he notice the status of the class.  
  
"Wonder what's wrong with them," he thinks.  
  
As if on cue, all of the students snap out of their trances and rush over to Shinji and Asuka and flood them with questions. Toji and Kensuke save Shinji, while Asuka handles her section by herself. Hikari walks over to talk with an angered Asuka. Both Toji and Kensuke lean and stare at Shinji.  
  
"Er, what's the matter?"  
  
"Well, for starters, what just happened between you and demon-girl over there?"  
  
"Um, well, we love each other."  
  
It receives a shocked expression from both boys. They recover and flood Shinji with questions.  
  
"This is going to be a long day….," thinks Shinji. 


	6. A Loss

Chapter 6  
A Loss  
  
The room is partially dark, the only light coming from the sun beginning its ascent into the sky. An alarm clock beeps, announcing that it is time to wake up. A figure stirs under the covers. It reaches out and searches for the clock. The hand is rewarded with a click of the off switch, silencing the clock. The figure slowly opens his eyes, adjusting to the light. He feels a weight on his chest and something around his waist. He looks down at the red mass on his chest.  
  
"Asuka, its time to get up," groggily says Shinji.  
  
Asuka stirs on his chest, not releasing her hold on him.  
  
"C'mon, we have to get to school."  
  
Slowly, she lets go of him and sits up.  
  
"Stupid school.and I was comfortable too..."  
  
He leans over and kisses her on the cheek.  
  
"Morning Asuka-chan."  
  
She smiles and looks at him.  
  
"Morning, Shin-kun."  
  
In the kitchen, Shinji prepares their lunches. Asuka soon joins him, dressed in her school uniform. It had been just over a week since they had confessed their love for each other.  
  
"Hey, Asuka."  
  
"Hm?"  
  
"Remember when Misato first found us together?"  
  
He lets out a small chuckle.  
  
"Of course!"  
  
5 days ago.  
  
Misato groggily walks out of her room and heads into the kitchen.  
  
"Morning Shinji-ku.."  
  
She stops as she finds that the kitchen is empty.  
  
"Must still be sleeping.," she muses  
  
She heads to Shinji's door and looks up at the sign 'Shinji's Lovely Suite' and smiles.  
  
"Shinji-kun? Time to get up."  
  
After receiving no response, she tries knocking.  
  
"Shinji? I'm coming in."  
  
The door opens slowly and Misato looks inside. The scene before her causes her to stare in shock. She gazes at the bed and sees not one, but two lumps under the covers, one having brown hair, the other red. A few seconds elapse and she finally gets her composure back.  
  
"WHAT DO YOU TWO THINK YOU'RE DOING!?"  
  
"Ow.Misato-san, you don't have to yell so loud." complains her young male charge.  
  
"Yeah, you trying to wake the dead or what?"  
  
"Well I'm not going to be responsible for a pregnant Eva pilot!"  
  
Both of them the blush and look at each other.  
  
"Well, we did use protection," slowly responds Shinji.  
  
"WHAT!?"  
  
"Just kidding," replies Shinji with a smirk.  
  
"Argh!!"  
  
Misato storms off and heads to the fridge to get a beer.  
  
Asuka sits down on a chair at the table, trying not to break out in hysterical laughter.  
  
"That was a CLASSIC moment!!"  
  
"I've never seen her so surprised, or angry, before."  
  
"I know. But at least she got over it, right?"  
  
Shinji walks over to the table and places down the plates of food.  
  
"Yeah."  
  
Shinji joins her at the table and they enjoy their breakfast. Soon, Misato joins them at the table, a can of beer in hand. She takes a long drink and turns to the children.  
  
"Don't forget you guys have a sync test after school today."  
  
"Do we have to go Misato?" complains Shinji.  
  
"Yes, you have to go. Unless YOU want to tell Ritsuko to cancel the tests after she's been working all night."  
  
Shinji thinks for a moment.  
  
"You're right. I DON'T want to tell her."  
  
Misato takes another drink from her can.  
  
"Did you two have something planned or something? While I'm away at work and you're here by yourselves?" she asks with an evil grin on her face.  
  
"MISATO!!" both children blurt out, as they turn red.  
  
Misato glances at the clock on the wall.  
  
"You two lovebirds had better get going or you'll both be late for school."  
  
Shinji and Asuka look up at the clock, their eyes widen as they see the time. They jump out of their chairs and grab their school bags and Shinji grabs their lunches.  
  
"Baka Shinji! You're going to make us late!!"  
  
Misato watches as they both run out of the apartment.  
  
"Some things just don't change."  
  
The warm-water penguin looks up at the Major. "Waarrkk!!"  
  
As the lunch bell rings, Touji walks out into the schoolyard and sits down on a bench with Kensuke.  
  
"I still can't believe it."  
  
"Believe what Touji?" questions the military otaku.  
  
"That Shinji and the red-headed devil are in love!"  
  
To emphasize his point, he points in their direction. The two in question were currently sitting together, eating their lunch.  
  
"Yeah, that is a bit hard to swallow, but he's happy, right?"  
  
"Yeah, I guess you're right," mumbles the jock.  
  
"Or are you just jealous?"  
  
"W-what are you talking about? Why would I be jealous?"  
  
"You just wish that you could be like that with the class rep, eh, Touji?"  
  
Kensuke is answered with Touji's fist impacting his arm.  
  
"That hurt!" exclaims Kensuke as he rubs his arm.  
  
Suddenly, the loud sound of an all too familiar siren echo all over Tokyo 3. The two boys look up and then at each other.  
  
"Angel attack..."  
  
Touji turns around and spies Shinji and Asuka running off towards NERV.  
  
"What do you mean it just appeared?!" asks a frustrated Ritsuko.  
  
"Sensors didn't pick up anything. They only just detected it now!" says Makoto Hyuga.  
  
"Status!!"  
  
Ritsuko and Maya turn around and see Misato running up to them.  
  
"Sensors detected a pattern blue above the city ten minutes ago," reports Makoto.  
  
"Do we have a visual?"  
  
"Yes. Putting it up...now," chimes in Maya Ibuki.  
  
An image appears on the main screen, depicting a large, black sphere with white strips hovers above a portion of the city.  
  
"How the hell did it get there undetected?!" shouts the Operations Director.  
  
Ritsuko shakes her head.  
  
"We don't know. It managed to evade our sensors somehow."  
  
"What's the status of the pilots?"  
  
"They have just been inserted into their entry plugs," responds Shigeru Aoba.  
  
Misato opens a comm to the pilots.  
  
"Shinji, Asuka, Rei, are you ready?"  
  
"Hai!' they respond in unison.  
  
"Ok, here's the plan. I want all of you to equip yourselves with weapons and head to the coordinates that are being sent to your Evas now. Once you reach your locations, wait for my signal to attack the target."  
  
"Coordinates have been sent."  
  
"Good luck. Evangelion, launch!"  
  
On the surface, the Evas are running to their designated locations. As Asuka turns a corner, her Eva lurches back.  
  
"Damn it!"  
  
She tries to pull the umbilical cable free, but to no avail. Sighing, she ejects the cable from her Eva and kneels down, opening a panel on one of the buildings, revealing a spare umbilical cable. With a click, the internal clock resets and she continues to run to her location.  
  
Shinji is the first to reach his location. He hides behind one of the buildings, staying out of visual range of the Angel.  
  
"You guys ready yet?"  
  
"Hold on! The Eva's aren't that fast, you know!" scolds Asuka.  
  
"I am still proceeding to my location."  
  
Shinji slumps back in the entry plug. After a few minutes, Shinji moves his Eva so he could watch the Angel. The black and white sphere floated fifty meters above the ground in the same spot, not moving or showing any signs of noticing the purple giant. By this time, Shinji was slightly irritated. Images began to appear in his head, of him being abandoned by his father, of him running away from his problems, and of the numerous occasions Asuka called him 'weak' and 'a spineless coward.' With that, Shinji made up his mind. He would show them all that he wasn't weak or a coward.  
  
"I'm going to take it out, Misato."  
  
Shinji's decision caught Misato by surprise.  
  
"Shinji! Wait for the others!"  
  
Her request came too late. Shinji had already willed his Eva to move out of its hiding spot. Unit 01 aimed its pallet gun at the Angel and opened fire. Just before the volley of rounds impacted the sphere, it disappeared.  
  
"What the...?" utters Shinji.  
  
"Where'd it go?" half questions, half orders, Misato.  
  
"Scanning...oh no! It's.it's under Unit 01!" announces Makoto.  
  
"What?!"  
  
"It's a shadow!" exclaims Ritsuko.  
  
"Shinji! The Angel's really a shadow! Get outta there!"  
  
"Huh?"  
  
Shinji looks down at his Eva's feet and sees a dark form slide under his Eva. His eyes go wide in horror as his Eva begins to sink into the black form.  
  
"Misato! Help me!" frantically shouts the terrified pilot.  
  
"Shinji!! Asuka! Rei! Help Shinji!"  
  
"No!"  
  
Misato turns around and faces Ritsuko.  
  
"What do you mean 'no'? Shinji needs help!"  
  
"And what do you plan to accomplish by sending the other Evas? They would just get sucked in with Unit 01 as well!!"  
  
The two women are cut off by Maya.  
  
"The Angel is expanding at a faster rate!"  
  
Asuka spots the approaching black mass.  
  
"Shit!"  
  
As fast as she can, she wills her Eva to jump towards the nearest building, embedding its axes in the walls. Using the axes as grips, the Eva pulls itself up to the roof of the building and surveys the area. Off in the distance, she sees Unit 01 shooting at the ground.  
  
"What is he doing?" she wonders.  
  
Then she notices that the Eva seems to be getting shorter and it hits her: Shinji is being sucked into the Angel. Misato's message reaches her, confirming it. Unit 02 crouches and lunges towards the nearest building, landing with a crash. It repeats the process, making its way to Unit 01. Just as she lands on the third building, an image of Misato appears in her plug.  
  
"Asuka, pull back."  
  
The new set of orders shocks Asuka.  
  
"What do you mean?! Shinji's in trouble!"  
  
"I know, but we can't do anything to help him. If you try to rescue him, you will probably be sucked in with him. I'm sorry."  
  
All Asuka can do is stare at the image of Misato. Then, an image of Shinji appears in her plug, along with Rei's and in the command bridge.  
  
"Somebody! Help me! Misato! Rei! Asuka!.....anyone...."  
  
The transmission is cut off and is replaced with static.  
  
"We've lost contact with Unit 01...," slowly reports Shigeru.  
  
Misato turns to the bridge crew.  
  
"Then that means. "  
  
"He has been completely pulled into the Angel," finishes Ritsuko.  
  
Misato looks in disbelief at the doctor, then opens a comm to the other Evas.  
  
"Asuka, Rei. Return to HQ."  
  
"Hai," responds Rei.  
  
Asuka remains standing on top of the building, staring at the location where Unit 01 had stood. After about a minute, she reluctantly makes her way to the nearest recovery point. 


	7. Alone

Chapter 7  
Alone  
  
Shinji opens his eyes and looks around. Noticing that he is still in the entry plug, he slowly adjusts himself. Outside of the Eva, is an endless, empty void.  
  
"I must be inside the Angel...," he muses.  
  
Acting on instinct, he activates the life-support system, noticing that the internal batteries had already activated. The lights in the plug dim.  
  
"All alone."  
  
The two remaining Eva pilots, Misato, and the Sub-commander are sitting in the briefing room.  
  
"Where is she?" mumbles Misato.  
  
Just then, the door opens with a hiss of air as Ritsuko enters the room.  
  
"Sorry for keeping you waiting."  
  
She walks over to the screen in the front of the room and inserts a disk. The screen comes to life, displaying the Angel.  
  
"Now, as you all know, the current Angel is in the form of a shadow. The sphere is actually the Angel's shadow. The Angel has expanded to a diameter of about 600 meters and has a thickness of 3 nanometers. It appears that it has an inversed AT Field, which acts like a void. This void, or Sea of Dirac, is able to hold objects that are 'sucked' into it."  
  
"So how do we get Shinji back?" interrupts Misato.  
  
"Well, in theory, the Sea of Dirac will expel its contents once the Angel is destroyed."  
  
"Then let's kill that thing!!" exclaims Asuka.  
  
"Hold on, Asuka. As I had just said, it's just a theory. The Magi are currently checking on the probability of the success of the theory and should have an answer by tomorrow morning."  
  
"But will Shinji last that long?" asks Misato.  
  
"Well, providing that Shinji activated the life-support as soon as he was pulled in, he would be able to survive for 8 - 10 hours."  
  
"Is that all, doctor?"  
  
Ritsuko turns to Kouzou Fuyutsuki.  
  
"Yes. We can't really do much until the Magi deliver their decision."  
  
"Very well. That is all. We will meet again tomorrow, after the Magi have made their decision."  
  
Fuyutsuki turns and leaves the room, followed by Ritsuko, and then Rei. Misato stands up and stretches.  
  
"Might as well head home. Can't really do much till tomorrow."  
  
Asuka nods and follows her guardian out of the room.  
  
Later that evening, Asuka is lying on her bed, looking out of her window. In the distance, spotlights light up the Angel, the black sphere floating in the same spot as it had since she last saw it. She turns, her back now facing the window.  
  
"Baka Shinji..."  
  
As she drifts off into sleep, a single tear falls onto her pillow.  
  
Shinji lies back in the entry plug of Unit 01.  
  
"I wonder what everyone's doing now..." he thinks out loud.  
  
He closes his eyes. After a few minutes, the humming inside the plug stops, signaling that the LCL purifier had reactivated. He takes a deep breath of LCL. His eyes go wide as he covers his nose.  
  
"It..it smells like blood!!!"  
  
His eyes dart around the entry plug. White specs float around the unfiltered LCL.  
  
"Let me outta here!" he shouts, pounding on the metal walls, "I hate this place! Please...let me out..."  
  
He drifts off into sleep after a few minutes.  
  
The next day, the MAGI had delivered their decision and gave the plan of destroying the Angel the greatest chance of success. Soon afterwards, the two remaining Evas were stationed around the Angel, armed with every available weapon.  
  
"Ok, Asuka, you remember the plan, right?"  
  
"Yes, Misato. I just blast the thing till it dies, right?"  
  
"Pretty much."  
  
"Let's do this."  
  
Unit 02 picks up a pair of bazookas and centers on the Angel.  
  
"Come back, Shinji. Don't leave me alone," she whispers.  
  
In Central Dogma, Misato, and Ritsuko stand watch over the monitors.  
  
"I hope this work, Ritsuko."  
  
The blonde doctor nods.  
  
"If not, we will have no choice but to go to plan B."  
  
"Plan B?" questions the Major, "I don't remember there being a plan B."  
  
"I did more testing last night and found out that, theoretically, if enough force is applied at the right moment, the Angel would be destroyed."  
  
"But isn't that what we are doing right now?"  
  
"Yes, but on a smaller scale. Based on the MAGI's calculations, it would take the remaining 992 N2 Mines to do it."  
  
"WHAT?! With that much firepower, Shinji would be killed!"  
  
"Most likely, but the priority is to recover Unit 01. The Eva will be able to survive, though," calmly replies Ritsuko.  
  
"That's INSANE! Who gave authorization for that?"  
  
"The Commander."  
  
"Doesn't he care about what will happen to Shinji?!" questions the ecstatic Misato.  
  
"I'm just following his order, which is to make recovering the Eva top priority. The pilot is secondary."  
  
The Operations Director says nothing and stares at the screen in front of her.  
  
"Off the record, I hope they succeed," whispers the doctor.  
  
Misato is taken back by her remark, but retains her cool and nods.  
  
"So, do I, Ritsu, so do I," she thinks.  
  
Inside the Sea of Dirac, Shinji is curled up in the plug, his knees against his chest. He looks up at the counter, which reads 5 seconds. It reaches zero, resulting in all of the Eva's systems shutting down.  
  
"Getting hard to breathe," he thinks.  
  
Time seems to pass slowly for him. He finds it harder and harder to breath the de-oxygenized LCL.  
  
"I don't want to die. I want to go back, to Misato...to Asuka-chan"  
  
With those last words, he blacks out.  
  
"Major! Sensors are picking up some activity from the Angel!" shouts on of the techs.  
  
"What?! Asuka! Don't fire!!" orders Misato.  
  
Asuka takes her fingers off of the triggers, curious as to why.  
  
"Readings indicating something is happening to the sphere."  
  
"Get me a visual!"  
  
The black sphere is projected onto the main screen.  
  
"Magnify."  
  
The screen zooms in on the Angel's shadow.  
  
"There!" shouts Shigeru.  
  
The crew stares at the screen. A small portion of the Angel begins to tremble, then something breaks through the black surface. The crew stares, mesmerized at the events transpiring. Below the shadow, the Angel shudders and red cracks form on its surface. The cracks rupture and crack, lifting and separating apart. The object pushes out more, blood spraying from the rupture. The crew instantly recognizes the object: Unit 01's right hand.  
  
"Oh my...," Maya clutches her hand over her mouth in horror at the scene on the screen.  
  
The left hand appears through the tear, next to the right. They grip the sides of the tear and begin to pull it apart, blood spraying from the wound. The hole expands, and then Unit 01's head emerges, covered in blood. The Eva continues to tear apart the Angel and force its way out. As it jumps to the ground, landing on its feet, the remains of the Angel falling to the street below, spraying more blood. Unit 01 stands up straight and lifts its head up to the sky. It lets out a blood-chilling roar.  
  
"Mein gott, is that what I'm piloting?" Asuka questions herself out loud.  
  
Asuka had been watching the entire scene from her Eva and continues to stare at the berserk Unit 01. The purple giant stops roaring and turns its gaze to the red Eva. She instinctively takes a step back, knowing what a berserk Eva can do. The purple Eva stares at her for a moment, then its eyes dim, causing the Eva to hunch over.  
  
"Get a recovery team out there now!!" orders Misato.  
  
She turns back to the main screen and gazes at the now deactivated Eva.  
  
"Shinji." 


	8. The Calm

Chapter 8  
The Calm  
  
Shinji stirs in the bed. His eyes bolt open, realizing that he was no longer in LCL. He instantly regrets his decision as his eyes were burned by the sudden brightness. Quickly, he shut his eyes. He began to slowly reopen his eyes, letting them gradually adjust to the light. After a few seconds, his eyes had adjusted to the light. He gazes around his new surroundings. The first thing that he notices is the ceiling, followed by the white walls.  
  
"I'm in the infirmary," he thinks.  
  
As he becomes aware of his other senses, he realizes that his left arm was partially asleep. He tries to lift it, but to no avail. It was being held down by a weight of some sorts. Shinji turns his head to look at the restrained arm. He finds the cause for the numbness, as well as the weight on it, for resting on his arm was the Second Children, fast asleep. She was resting her head on her crossed arms, which were resting on top of his arm. A small smile creeps up on Shinji's face as he gazes at the sleeping redhead. Cautiously, he reaches over with his free hand and brushes some loose strands of hair away from her face. This causes Asuka to stir. She slowly lifts her head up and rubs her eyes.  
  
"Huh? What?"  
  
Her eyes adjust to the light in the room. The first thing she sees is an awake, smiling, Third Children sitting up in his bed, looking at her.  
  
"Shinji! You're awake!"  
  
Asuka proceeds to hug the boy. He returns the hug. She loosens her grip and looks into his eyes. Asuka breaks away, and then slaps Shinji.  
  
"What was that for?" he asks, slightly shocked.  
  
"That was for acting like a dummkopf and charging in and scaring all of us half to death!"  
  
"I'm sorr....."  
  
Asuka cuts him off by leaning over and kissing him. The kiss lasts for a few minutes.  
  
"What was THAT for?" he asks slowly.  
  
"That was for coming back alive."  
  
The couple is interrupted by their guardian rushing in through the door and bear-hugging Shinji.  
  
"Shinji! You're awake! I was so worried!!"  
  
"Me...too..," he manages to get out.  
  
"Misato! He just woke up! Are you trying to knock him unconscious again by suffocating him?!"  
  
Misato looks at the angry redhead, and then at Shinji, who is struggling for oxygen. She releases her hold on him.  
  
"Oh! Sorry Shinji!"  
  
"It's....ok Misato..," he says between breaths for air.  
  
"Well, the doctor said that you could be released today. I'll be right back. I'm going to sign your release papers."  
  
Misato leaves the room.  
  
"I'm going to get something to drink."  
  
Asuka leaves the room, leaving Shinji alone. He lies back in the bed, staring at the ceiling.  
  
"How did I get here?"  
  
20 minutes later...  
  
The group enters the apartment. Asuka heads off to her room while Misato goes to the fridge and grabs a beer.  
  
"Misato?"  
  
Misato looks up from her beer.  
  
"Yes, Shinji?"  
  
"Um, how did you get me out of the Angel?"  
  
Misato looks at the boy, cocking one eyebrow.  
  
"You mean you don't remember?"  
  
He shakes his head.  
  
"What was the last thing you remember?"  
  
"Um, I remember being in the entry plug, inside of the Angel, then blacking out."  
  
"Maybe you should sit down for this."  
  
Shinji gives Misato a curious look, but sits down across from her.  
  
"Do you remember when Unit 01 went berserk during your first fight?"  
  
"Sort of, yeah."  
  
"Well, it went berserk again."  
  
Shinji stares at his guardian, a look of shock on his face.  
  
"In a nutshell, Unit 01 tore itself out of the Angel, literally. The Angel was left in two different pieces when it escaped. The only strange thing was that it looked at Unit 02 for a moment before it deactivated."  
  
Shinji sits there, a dumbfounded look on his face as he absorbs the words. He snaps out of his trance.  
  
"Um, what do you mean, it looked at Unit 02?"  
  
Misato leans back in her chair and looks up at ceiling before answering.  
  
"Well, after it was free, it let out what we guess was a roar, then stared at Unit 02. It just stared for about a minute, then deactivated. It was really weird."  
  
Shinji thinks for a moment.  
  
"Could it be because.? Nah. It couldn't," he thinks.  
  
"You had better get some rest Shinji. You have to get up early to head to the Geofront tomorrow."  
  
"How come?"  
  
"Well, Ritsuko wants to run some 'tests' on you."  
  
"Um, why?"  
  
"Well, she says it's because she wants to make sure that nothing happened to you while you were in the Sea of Dirac."  
  
"Sea of Dirac?"  
  
"The place you were stuck in."  
  
"Oh. Well, goodnight Misato."  
  
"Goodnight Shinji-kun."  
  
Shinji stands up and heads to his room. He stops in front of his door and turns around, glancing at Asuka's door for a moment before heading into his room.  
  
The door opens with a small hiss of air. Ritsuko enters the vast, dark room. She glances up at the ceiling, upon which of a design of 10 circles, connected by lines.  
  
"What is the status of the Fourth Children, doctor?"  
  
The voice snaps Ritsuko back into reality. She walks up to the desk and places a file on it.  
  
"The Murdock has just identified him. Here are his files."  
  
Gendo flips through the papers before setting them back down on the table.  
  
"And what of Unit 03?"  
  
"It is near completion and will be flown here within the next 3 weeks."  
  
"Excellent. All goes according to the scrolls. That is all. You are dismissed."  
  
Ritsuko nods and turns, walking to the door. After she leaves, Gendo straightens up. He reaches into his pocket and produces a key. He uses it to unlock one of the drawers of his desk. Inside the drawer is a picture frame, with an old picture inside of it. He takes out the picture and looks at it.  
  
"Soon. Soon we can be together again, Yui. Soon." 


	9. Persuasion

Chapter 9  
Persuasion  
  
2 weeks later, the students file back into their classrooms as the bell rings, announcing the end of lunch. Touji enters the classroom and heads towards his desk.  
  
"Mr. Suzuhara."  
  
Touji stops and walks up to the teacher.  
  
"Yes, sensei?"  
  
"They wish to see you in the office."  
  
"Ok."  
  
Touji exits the room and heads towards the office. He is directed into a room. It is bare except for a desk and two chairs. In one of the chairs sits a blonde woman in a lab coat. The door closes behind Touji.  
  
"Please have a seat, Mr. Suzuhara."  
  
Touji walks to the chair and sits.  
  
"You are probably wondering why you are here."  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Well, my name is Doctor Ritsuko Akagi, head of Project E."  
  
Something in Touji's mind clicks at her name.  
  
"Where have I heard that name before?" he wonders.  
  
"You are aware of what NERV does, Mr. Suzuhara?"  
  
"They protect the city and man-kind from the Angels."  
  
"Well, Marduk has selected you as the Fourth Children."  
  
Touji stiffens and sits up straight. Memories of Asuka referring to Shinji as the Third and Rei as the First come to mind.  
  
"What are you saying?"  
  
"You were chosen to be an Eva pilot, like your friends Rei, Asuka, and Shinji. It is an honor to be chosen as a pilot."  
  
Touji sits there, remembering about the fight with the 4th Angel.  
  
"What is this stuff?"  
  
"My camera!" exclaims Kensuke.  
  
The entry plug lights up. Touji and Kensuke look around at their new surroundings. Below them is Shinji. They look up and spot the Angel right in front of them, with its tentacle being held in Unit 01's hands. As the plug came online, they feel a tingling sensation in their hands. They watch as Shinji hurls the Angel down the hill.  
  
"Shinji! Retreat for now."  
  
The pair looks down at pilot.  
  
"No. I mustn't run away. I mustn't run away. I mustn't run away.," he mumbles.  
  
Unit 01 reaches towards its left shoulder wing and pulls out the Progressive Knife.  
  
"Shinji, I order you to retreat!"  
  
"Didn't you hear what she said?! Retreat!!" shouts the jock.  
  
Shinji screams as he wills the Eva forward. It slides down the hill towards the Angel. The Angel sees the Eva and lashes out with its whips. They tear through the Eva's abdomen. Touji and Kensuke feel a slight burning sensation on their own abdomens. Touji realizes what just happened.  
  
"He feels what this thing feels. That means its much worse for him than us," he thinks.  
  
He looks at Shinji, whose face is covered with pain and anger. Unit 01 slams the knife into the Angel's core, sparks flying from it. After what seemed like an eternity, the plug goes black. Touji and Kensuke look at the now crying Shinji.  
  
"It brings them nothing but pain and suffering," he thinks.  
  
"No thanks. I think I'll pass."  
  
Touji stands up and walks towards the door.  
  
"It's a shame about your sister."  
  
He stops dead in his tracks.  
  
"Being a pilot does have its benefits, you know. We can help her."  
  
Touji thinks about his sister in the hospital, of how the doctors there say that they can't do anything to help her walk again. He stares at the floor.  
  
"Will you help her?"  
  
"We'll move her to the NERV hospital where she will receive the best care and treatment from the very best. That is, if you agree to become a pilot."  
  
Touji stands there, lost in thought. He turns around.  
  
"I'll be a pilot, but I'm only doing this for her sake. Not yours, and not NERV's."  
  
"Fine. We'll call you."  
  
Touji opens the door and leaves the room. Ritsuko pulls out a cell phone after the door closes and dials a number.  
  
"He accepted, with a little persuasion."  
  
"Excellent."  
  
She puts away the phone and leaves the room. 


	10. A Date

Chapter 10  
  
3 days later…  
  
Shinji and Asuka are walking home from school. They didn't have an tests scheduled for that day.  
  
"Hey, Asuka-chan?"  
  
"Hm?"  
  
"Um, have you noticed that Toji's been acting kinda strange lately?"  
  
"Why would I concern myself with that stooge?"  
  
"C'mon Asuka-chan."  
  
"Yeah, he has been acting weird lately. Hikari's worried about him."  
  
"He won't talk to me or Kensuke about it. He just keeps on saying that it's nothing. I feel that I have to do something to help him, being his friend and all."  
  
"Well, why don't you do something then?!"  
  
"Um, I really don't know what to do…."  
  
"BAKA!!! Can't you think of anything by yourself?! Why do I always have to do everything?!!"  
  
"But…"  
  
"No 'buts' Third Child!! And I know how we can help Hikari at the same time…"  
  
Shinji thinks about this for a second before responding.  
  
"You mean getting the two of them together?"  
  
"Of course! What else would I be talking about? Even though he is a stooge and a pervert. I don't know what she sees in him."  
  
"Hey! Toji's not that bad! He can be a very caring."  
  
Memories of the times Shinji went with Toji to visit his sister in the hospital flooded his mind.  
  
"Whatever. Now, what to do…..I know!"  
  
With that said, she begins to explain her plan to Shinji.  
  
  
  
  
  
The next day…  
  
"Hey, Toji!"  
  
Toji looks up from where he was sitting eating his lunch.  
  
"Oh, hey Shinji."  
  
"Now hopefully I won't screw up," thinks Shinji.  
  
"Ya doing anything tonight?"  
  
Toji looks at the boy for a second.  
  
"I don't have anything planned…why?"  
  
"Oh, I was wondering if you want to hang out tonight. Asuka's going to be going out and Misato's working tonight. I really don't want to stay alone and do nothing tonight. What do you say? Besides, you need to get out more."  
  
Toji thought about the offer for a moment.  
  
"Sure. So, when and where shall we meet?"  
  
"I was thinking the theater in town. I heard that they brought in a new movie. It's suppose to start at 7."  
  
"Fine. I'll meet you there."  
  
"Great!"  
  
Shinji leaves Toji and heads back to the classroom to meet Asuka.  
  
  
  
  
  
At the same moment…  
  
"Oh, c'mon Hikari!"  
  
"Well…"  
  
"It'll be fun! Besides, it'll be just us girls!"  
  
"Ok Asuka."  
  
"Great! Remember, the theater in town around 6."  
  
Asuka glances to her left and sees Shinji walk past the door.  
  
"I'll be right back Hikari."  
  
Asuka stands up and exits the classroom. She catches up to Shinji.  
  
"So, is the stooge coming?"  
  
"Yeah, I got him to agree to it. What about you?"  
  
"Of course I got her to come. Now, just make sure that you don't screw it up for them."  
  
"Whatever you say Asuka. Whatever you say…"  
  
  
  
  
  
Later that evening…  
  
"So what's the movie Shinji?"  
  
Shinji panics for a moment. He tries to think up a good lie.  
  
"Um, it's supposed to be a great post-second impact film."  
  
"But what's it about?"  
  
"Um…. Oh! Here we are!"  
  
Shinji is saved by the old theater in front of them. The pair buys their tickets and heads into the theater's lobby. Shinji looks around and finds what he was looking for.  
  
"Asuka-chan!!"  
  
Toji looks in the direction Shinji is heading and blushes slightly. He sees Shinji walks up to Asuka, but that's not what attracts his attention: standing next to Asuka is Hikari. Slowly, he makes his way to the group. Hikari notices Toji walking towards them and blushes slightly. This is noticed by both Shinji and Asuka.  
  
"Class rep."  
  
"Mr. Suzuhara."  
  
The pair stands there, neither of them wanting to say anything, so Asuka decides to break the ice.  
  
"We had better get going if we're going to make the movie."  
  
Shinji and Asuka head off together towards the theater. Toji and Hikari soon follow them. As the first pair nears the door, Shinji opens the door for Asuka, who smiles at him for his kind gesture. Shinji then follows her inside. By this time, Toji's mind wasn't thinking at its full potential. As they neared the door, he snapped out of his daze and walked in front of Hikari to open the door. They both blushed at this gesture, but neither noticed each other's reactions. Eventually, the group finds some seats. Shinji lets Asuka enter first and he follows her. Toji follows Shinji's lead.  
  
A few minutes later, the movie starts. Toji is a little disappointed when he finds out that it is more of a romance and an action film, but doesn't mind since he really isn't paying much attention to the movie. He keeps on glancing at Hikari. Every time he catches himself, he turns his attention back to the movie, but he eventually stares at her again. Hikari finds herself not paying much attention to the movie. Her mind is instead on a certain young man sitting next to her. Occasionally, he would glance at him, wondering is he was going to do anything. Shinji and Asuka weren't paying much attention to the couple besides them. Instead, they were enjoying the movie and each other's company. At some point in the movie, Shinji and draped his arm over Asuka's shoulders. Asuka responded by resting her head on his shoulder. About midway through the movie, Toji had noticed this. He inwardly sighs, wishing that he and Hikari could be like them. He glances at Hikari again.  
  
"Won't really be able to have a chance unless I try," he thinks.  
  
Toji brings his left hand up, pretending he is scratching his back. He takes a deep breath and slowly drapes his arm around Hikari's shoulders. She stiffens when she feels his arm around her, but then relaxes and leans against his shoulder. Toji breaths a sigh of relief and settles into the new position.  
  
Asuka looks over at the other couple and smiles. She nudges Shinji and motions over to them. He glances over and smiles, feeling happy for his friend.  
  
  
  
  
  
After the movie…  
  
The two couples exit the theater.  
  
"Well, it's getting late. We still have to get up for school tomorrow," says Shinji.  
  
"Don't remind me…"  
  
"Um, Hikari?"  
  
Hikari looks up at the boy.  
  
"Yes, Toji?"  
  
"Um, uh, can I walk you home?"  
  
"S-sure."  
  
Both of them blush slightly. Shinji and Asuka let out a small chuckle.  
  
"Well, see you tomorrow Hikari!"  
  
"Bye Asuka, Shinji."  
  
Shinji and Asuka leave the theater and head back to their apartment, hand- in-hand.  
  
"Shall we go?" asks Toji, offering his hand to Hikari.  
  
She takes his hand and they head off towards her house.  
  
A little while later, they arrive at the Hokari residents. They stand in front of the door.  
  
"I had a great time, Toji."  
  
"Me too."  
  
They stand there in silence for a minute, then Toji speaks up.  
  
"Hikari, um, uh…."  
  
Toji makes several attempts to say something, but he fails to do so each time. Hikari places her hands on her hips and glares at the boy.  
  
"Mr. Suzuhara. If you're going to say something, you had better come out with it, now!"  
  
Toji stops studdering and takes a breath. Hikari looks at Toji, waiting for him to say something. What he does takes her by surprise. He leans over and kisses her. Hikari's eyes widen with shock, her brain trying to assess the situation at hand. After realizing what was happening, she relaxes into the kiss. After what seemed like an eternity, they Toji broke the kiss.  
  
"Goodnight, Hikari-chan," he says, half dazed due to the kiss.  
  
"Goodnight, Toji-kun."  
  
She smiles and gives him a quick kiss before entering the house and closing the door. Toji stands there for a moment before beginning his trek home, with a large smile on his face.  
  
  
  
  
  
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  
  
It's me again!! I know what most of you are thinking 'Why am I writing about Toji and Hikari?' Well, I wanted to include their relationship in this fic, especially for the plans I have for later, hehehe. Anyway, this ends the Toji x Hikari segment of my fic, for now, since the 13th angel is showing up in the next chapter. 


	11. Secrets and Pain

Chapter 11  
  
The next day, the class of 2-A got their second shock for that year. This time, it was from a couple that they couldn't have imagined could have existed (actually, the second, but Shinji and Asuka had recently become a couple). This shock happened when Toji and Hikari exchange a 'short' kiss before the start of class. This, of course, shocked the entire class, but not as greatly as when they had found out about Shinji and Asuka. After that day, Toji and Hikari were seen almost everywhere together, as if they were making up for lost time. But this joy would not last forever, for someone had other plans in mind….  
  
  
  
  
  
3 days later…  
  
Ritsuko stands in front of the commander's desk.  
  
"At 1630 hours yesterday, Unit 03 arrived in Japan, via air transport. It was then moved over to our facilities at Mt. Matsushiro. The activation tests are scheduled for 1130 hours tomorrow."  
  
Gendo Ikari sits at his desk, his head resting behind his interlocked fingers, blocking the view of the bottom-half of his face.  
  
"Excellent. You are dismissed, doctor."  
  
Ritsuko turns and leaves the office. She stands in front of the door for a moment.  
  
"How many more will you hurt, Gendo? How many more, especially your own son…"  
  
She turns and heads towards her office.  
  
  
  
  
  
The next day…  
  
Toji leans over the railing, gazing at the giant before him. Evangelion Unit 03 stands tall, its black form restrained by numerous mechanical devices. He looks at its demonic-looking head, then at the clock on the wall. The digital numbers read 1100 hours. It would be another half an hour before he would have to climb inside the creature before him.  
  
"I will return, Hikari. I promise."  
  
He stands up and leaves the platform.  
  
  
  
  
  
For the 8th time that day, Hikari glances over at the empty desk. For the first time, her mind wasn't on the lecture or the condition of the class, but on a certain young man that was absent today. She hunches over her desk and reminisces about all that had happened over the past three days; all the time she had spent with him during lunch and after school, him waiting for her every morning, and the few dates they had had.  
  
"Where are you Toji?" she thinks.  
  
While this was happening, Asuka glances at her best friend.  
  
"Geez. The stooge doesn't show up for one day and she's already worried about him."  
  
Asuka turns her attention back to the game of Tetris on her laptop.  
  
  
  
  
  
The bell rings, announcing that it is time for lunch. The students prepare to exit the room, but the bell is drowned out by another siren. Everyone that lived in Tokyo 3 recognized the siren. It was the Angel attack siren. At the same moment, the three pilots' cellular phones went off. The pilots grab their belongs and head to the school's main entrance and into the awaiting black Section 2 cars.  
  
  
  
  
  
The pilots sit in their Evas, awaiting further orders.  
  
"Damn it! Where's Misato?"  
  
"She was transported to the NERV facility at Mt. Matsushiro this morning for the activation test of Evangelion Unit 03. She has not yet returned from the facility, pilot Soryu."  
  
Before Asuka could say anything, Gendo came over the comm.  
  
"The target is approaching. Prepare to engage it."  
  
The pilots turn and face the opening in the hills where the Angel is going to approach from. Unit 00 and 01 are both equipped with pallet rifles and Unit 02 had a pair of progressive axes. The pilots tense up as the sound of footsteps gets louder. They watch as a large, black foot steps into view. It is followed by a hand, and then a head.  
  
"What..? Is that the target?" asks Shinji.  
  
"It's an Eva!" exclaims Asuka.  
  
Unit 03 stands in full view of the pilots. Its black form is hunched over with its arms dangling at its side. The Eva gazes at the three Evas in front of it.  
  
"Yes, that is the target. It is no longer an Eva, but an Angel."  
  
"Misato was at the activation site for the Eva!! Is she alright?!"  
  
"We are still trying to re-establish communication with the area," says Maya.  
  
Shinji looks up at the stationary Eva.  
  
"If they were performing an activation test, then that means they needed at pilot in it," he thinks.  
  
Movement from the Angel interrupts his thoughts. It begins at sluggishly walks towards them.  
  
"Rei, you will destroy the target," came Gendo's voice over the comm.  
  
Rei takes aim with the rifle and centers on the target. She hesitates in pulling the trigger. Everyone watches in horror as the Angel roars and takes a massive leap into the air. This catches Rei off guard, as she had her mind on something else. With incredible speed, the Angel lands on top of the blue Eva, pinning it to the ground. The impact caused Rei to lose her grip on the rifle, sending flying a few hundred yards from the Eva's reach.  
  
Shinji stares in horror as the Angel looks over its catch and begins to drool a substance onto the Eva's left arm. He looks up at the Angel's back and sees part of a white tube being held into place by some sort of ooze.  
  
"So there is a pilot still in that thing," he thinks.  
  
He is brought back to reality as Rei's screams of pain come through the comm.  
  
"Ayanami!!"  
  
  
  
  
  
"What's going on?!"  
  
"The Angel is infecting Unit 00's left arm!"  
  
The bridge crew looks at the live video feed from Unit 00's entry plug. Rei is clutching her left arm, veins becoming visible through the plug suit. Her face is full of pain.  
  
"Eject the arm!"  
  
"But the nerve connections are still online!!" says Maya.  
  
"Are you disobeying my orders, Lieutenant Ibuki?"  
  
"No, sir…," replies Maya as she turns her attention pack to her station.  
  
"Eject the arm now."  
  
Maya nods and enters the commands into the computer.  
  
  
  
  
  
A small explosion is heard as the left arm of Unit 00 is ejected from its body. Rei screams in pain and then goes unconscious. The Angel seems to sense this and leaps off of the fallen Eva. It then sets its gaze on the red Eva. With another massive leap, it propels itself towards its next prey.  
  
"Oh no you don't!"  
  
Asuka hurls one of the axes at the approaching Angel, only to have it be reflected by its AT Field. The Angel slams into Unit 02, sending it skidding across the ground. Unit 02 stops skidding, its front buried in the ground. The Angel roars and charges at the Eva, which is trying to stand up. The Angel steps onto the Eva's back, holding it on the ground. It then jumps onto its back and begins to pound at the armor that covers the entry plug. Dents start to form in the armor.  
  
"Asuka!!"  
  
Shinji drops his rifle and charges full speed towards the Angel; the one that hurt his friends, the one trying to kill his love. The Angel looks up at see the charging purple Eva, but has no time to react as Unit 01 slams into the Angel, sending it flying towards a nearby hill, leaving an indention in the hillside. It begins to stand up, but is stopped by Unit 01, who grabs it by its shoulder wings and slams it into the ground. The Eva holds the Angel down and draws its progressive knife. With great skill, Shinji begins to cut away the ooze that holds the entry plug captive. About half of the way through, the Angel roars and tosses the Eva off of its back.  
  
The Angel rises and raising its right arm. The arm stretches towards Unit 01 with lightning – quick speed, grabbing it by the throat and it begins to squeeze. The Angel's other arm joins it. It walks towards the Eva, slowly retracting its arms as it closes the gap until it's arms returned to their normal lengths.  
  
"You will destroy the target, pilot."  
  
"No, there is a person inside of it."  
  
"That is not an issue. You will destroy the target."  
  
"NO!!"  
  
  
  
  
  
Gendo faces Maya.  
  
"Cut the connections to the pilot and activate the dummy plug."  
  
"What? But we haven't finished testing it and there are still some bugs to work out!"  
  
"Do it."  
  
Maya sighs and follows Gendo's orders.  
  
  
  
  
  
Shinji cringes in pain as the Angel increase pressure on the Eva's throat. Suddenly, the pressure is gone and the entry plug is black.  
  
"What the…?"  
  
The plug reactivates, but instead of being clear, it glows red. He watches in horror as his Eva reaches out with its own hands and begins to squeeze the Angel's throat. Shinji desperate tries to stop his Eva, but to no avail. A crack is heard as the Angel's head slumps over and it falls to the ground, releasing Unit 01. Shinji breathes a sigh of relief that its all over, but he was wrong. Unit 01 begins to tear apart the fallen Angel.  
  
"No!! Stop! Stop it!! Please..stop!"  
  
He pulls on the controls in an attempt to stop his Eva, but it doesn't respond. Parts of Unit 03 are torn out and thrown away. The bridge crew stares in horror, some turn away from the screen, covering their mouths in an attempt to not throw up.  
  
"Damn you father!! Make it stop. Make it stop…."  
  
The noise of tearing flesh stops and Shinji opens his eyes, only to stare in horror at what awaits him. Unit 01 is holding the bloodstained entry plug in its hands. It begins to close its hand around the cylinder.  
  
"NO!! Don't! Please stop!! Please stop…."  
  
The red lights in the plug shut off. Shinji looks up and notices that he has full control of his Eva again. He carefully sets the entry plug on the ground.  
  
  
  
  
  
"What happened?"  
  
"Unit 01 rejected the dummy plug system! Control has been returned back to the pilot."  
  
"This was not in the scenario," thinks Gendo.  
  
  
  
  
  
Shinji sits in his Eva and watches as the recovery teams retrieve his fallen teammates. He looks down at the team that is trying to open Unit 03's plug.  
  
"Shinji."  
  
He looks down his plug to find a comm with Misato in it.  
  
"Mistao! You're alive!"  
  
"Yeah, just a few cuts and bruises and a broken arm. Shinji, about the Fourth Child. It's…."  
  
"He's alive!"  
  
Shinji turns his attention to the recovery team below. Two of the men enter the plug. One of then appears holding a pair of legs. The other follows, carrying the rest of the body. His eyes go wide with horror as he realizes who was just taken out of the plug.  
  
""The Fourth Child is Toji Suzuhara. I'm sorry I didn't tell you Shinji…"  
  
Shinji slumps back in his plug and looks at his hands.  
  
"That bastard. He tried to make me kill one of my friends. He just used me. I'll make sure he pays. He will pay…" 


	12. Payback

Chapter 12  
  
A lone figure sits in the darkened room. There are no windows or any forms of lighting in it. He sits on the folding bench along the end of the wall. Behind him is a large red logo, the logo of NERV. The person sits in the cell not with a mask of sadness or anger on his face like what others would have, but a mask of slight happiness. Shinji smirks as he remembers how he got in this situation.  
  
  
  
  
  
FLASHBACK  
  
Earlier that day…  
  
Shinji sits in the entry plug of Unit 01.  
  
"Concentrate Shinji," comes Ritsuko over the comm.  
  
That day, Ritsuko had decided to hold sync tests, but these were different. She had decided that the tests would be held inside the Evangelions, instead of in the simulation plugs, to get a better reading as she had said. She had the bridge crew help with the tests just in case something happened. The crew sits in one of the activation cages, like the one where Unit 00 was activated. Across the large room, Unit 01 stands, restrained to the wall by metal restraints. In the command area, the Commander stands in front of the glass, staring out of the protective window at Unit 01.  
  
"How's he doing?"  
  
"He is currently at 65 percent, sempai."  
  
"I see. That's a little better than…."  
  
The entire crew stops their actions at the sound of tearing metal.  
  
"What was that?!"  
  
Aoba stares wide-eyed at the protective glass in front of him.  
  
"It..it…it's Unit 01! It's trying to break free of the restraints!!"  
  
The rest of the crew follows his gaze. At the other end of the test area, Unit 01 is struggling to free itself from the metal bonds that hold it to the wall. The restraints don't last long against its power as they are torn out of the wall. The Eva pulls what's left of the restraints off of its shoulder wings and make sits way towards the crew.  
  
"Has it gone berserk?"  
  
"No. Sensors show that the pilot is still in control."  
  
Ritsuko rushes over to the comm and opens a link to the Eva.  
  
"Shinji! What are you doing?!"  
  
On the monitor, she sees Shinji sitting in the plug with a very determined face, mixed with anger and pain. Suddenly, the screen goes blank and all she can get through the comm is static.  
  
"The pilot has cut all communication from the inside!"  
  
"Cut the power!!"  
  
The umbilical cable is ejected from the Eva. As it falls, thrusters on the connection unit fire to slow its decent to the floor. It lands on the ground with a thud.  
  
"Unit 01 has switched to internal power! 30 seconds of power remaining!!"  
  
CRACK!!  
  
The fist of Unit 01 slams into the glass, creating several cracks on its surface. It pulls its fist back and brings its other fist onto the glass.  
  
CRACK!!  
  
"15 seconds remaining!!"  
  
"Commander! It isn't safe there! Please step back!"  
  
Gendo just ignores her and stands his ground and stares at the attacking Eva.  
  
CRACK!!  
  
CRACK!!  
  
"10 seconds of power!"  
  
CRACK!!  
  
"5 seconds! 3..2..1..internal power depleted!!"  
  
The crew breathes a sigh of relief.  
  
CRACK!!  
  
"What?!"  
  
Ritsuko turns to Maya.  
  
"I thought you said it has no more power?"  
  
"It doesn't. At least, it's not supposed to!"  
  
Realizing what is happening, Gendo takes a step back from the glass, a slight look of fear on his face.  
  
Unit 01's fist connects with the glass again, shattering it. The crew dives and hides behind the consoles to protect themselves from the flying glass. Gendo takes another step back, unscarred from any of the flying glass.  
  
The Eva brings its fist back and hurls it towards Gendo. Most of the crew closes their eyes, not wanting to see what was about to happen. After what seemed like ages, they peer up from behind the consoles. Unit 01's fist is suspended 10 feet from the Commander, as if frozen in time.  
  
Gendo regains his composure and pushes his glasses up the bridge of his nose with his right hand.  
  
"Remove the pilot and take him to the brig."  
  
The crew nods in reply and sends the message over to the security team. Gendo turns and heads to the door. Part of the ceiling gives away, damaged during the attack, and falls onto Gendo's head, producing a large gash on his head and knocking him to the ground.  
  
"Get a medical team out here, stat!!"  
  
END FLASHBACK  
  
  
  
  
  
The heavy door to the dark room opens, allowing for some light to enter the room. Outside of the door, stands a pair of security guards holding a set of handcuffs. Slowly, Shinji stands up and walks towards the open door. The guards cuff his hands behind his back and lead him away.  
  
After a few minutes, Shinji stands alone in front of the Commander's desk still in handcuffs. He stands there, an emotionless look on his face. The person in the chair behind the desk turns around and faces the pilot. Fuyutsuki looks at the pilot.  
  
"You do know why you are here, pilot Ikari?"  
  
Shinji just nods in reply.  
  
"Now then, as a result of your actions, you will be placed under house arrest. The only times you can leave is to attend your classes at school. You will also be suspended from all duties at NERV for a period of 30 days. Is that understood?"  
  
Shinji nods.  
  
"Very well. You are dismissed."  
  
Shinji turns and heads out of the office. Fuyutsuki leans back in the chair and gazes up at the ceiling.  
  
"I don't blame you for what you did. Far as I'm concerned, he deserved it."  
  
  
  
  
  
"HE'S WHAT?!!"  
  
Misato cringes at Asuka's outburst.  
  
"I said that Shinji's under house arrest and is suspended from NERV for 30 days. He's only allowed to leave for school."  
  
"And what did he do, exactly?"  
  
"Well, basically, he tried to kill the commander with Unit 01 during the sync tests earlier today."  
  
"Ha! Shinji actually got the balls to stands up to that bastard!!"  
  
"You shouldn't talk about the commander that way, even though he did deserve it after what he made Shinji do during the 13th……"  
  
Misato takes another drink of her beer.  
  
Just then, the door to the apartment opens. Both women look up and watch as Shinji walks towards his room. He opens the door and steps into the room, shutting it behind him. Asuka stands up, but is stopped by Misato.  
  
"I think it's best that we just leave him alone for a while."  
  
"But…"  
  
"He's had a long day, Asuka. Just let him be alone for a while to gather his thoughts, ok?"  
  
Asuka looks at the closed door, the image of Shinji's depressed face filling her mind.  
  
"Fine Misato."  
  
She stands up and heads to her room.  
  
  
  
  
  
Shinji lies down, listening to his SDAT player. He glances at his clock, which reads 11:00 pm. He lets out a sigh and turns around, facing the wall. He begins to close his eyes, but is stopped by the sound of his door opening and then closing. He pretends to be asleep.  
  
"I know you're awake, baka. You can't fool me that easily."  
  
Shinji sits up and takes his buds out of his ears.  
  
"Is it that obvious?"  
  
"Yup."  
  
Shinji lets out a chuckle. Asuka walks over and sits next to Shinji.  
  
"So, you're stuck here for 30 days, eh?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"It wouldn't be that bad, but you still gotta go to school."  
  
"Yeah. I guess it shows that they really care about our education, huh?"  
  
The pair doesn't say a word to each other for a few minutes.  
  
"So, why'd you do it?"  
  
Shinji sighs and then stretches.  
  
"I wanted to make him pay. To make him pay for all those times he hurt me, used me, and made me hurt my friends. I just wanted to get back at him."  
  
Unknown to Shinji, he is clenching and unclenching his left hand. Asuka notices this.  
  
"You gotta have a lotta balls to do something like that. Guess you aren't that much of a coward anymore."  
  
"Guess not. Guess not."  
  
"Can I stay with you tonight, or are you restricted from doing that too?"  
  
"Far as I know, no."  
  
They smile at each other and then lie down to sleep. Asuka wraps her hands around his waist and rests her head on his chest. Shinji wraps his arms around her shoulders and gazes down at Asuka.  
  
"Goodnight Asuka-chan."  
  
"Goodnight Shinji-kun."  
  
With that, they fall into a peaceful slumber. 


	13. Purpose

Chapter 13  
  
The next day…  
  
"Oi! Shinji!!"  
  
Shinji stops and turns around.  
  
"Oh, hey Kensuke."  
  
The camera-bearing boy jogged up next to Shinji. They continued their trek to school.  
  
"I've been meaning to ask you. Do you know where Toji's been lately? I haven't seen him around."  
  
Shinji faces away from his friend.  
  
"Toji? Well, um, I really don't know. He never told me anything…."  
  
"Oh, well. I guess he'll turn up sooner or later."  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Hey, where's Asuka? Don't you two usually walk to school together?"  
  
"Oh, she left early with Hikari."  
  
"Ah."  
  
The two boys made their way to school.  
  
  
  
  
  
After school….  
  
"Shinji, you wanna hang out at the arcade?"  
  
"Um, can't Kensuke."  
  
"How come?"  
  
"Well, um, they're having me do tests at NERV."  
  
"Like what?"  
  
"Um, can't tell you. Top secret."  
  
"Aw man. Oh well, how about tomorrow then?"  
  
"Um, I'll be at NERV everyday for the next 30 days."  
  
"30 days?!! Why don't they use the other Evas?"  
  
"I guess since I pilot the Test Type, they use it to test the new stuff."  
  
"Oh, well, yeah, I guess. Well, see you later then, Shinji!"  
  
Kensuke heads off towards the arcade.  
  
"Yeah, see ya."  
  
Shinji watches as his friend vanishes around the corner and then makes his way to the apartment.  
  
  
  
  
  
4 days later….  
  
"Status!"  
  
"The Magi have confirmed, it's the 14th Angel, Zeruel."  
  
"What's its location?"  
  
"It is currently hovering 100 kilometers from the city and closing."  
  
"Hyuga, what's the status of the pilots?"  
  
"Asuka has just been inserted into Unit 02, Rei is standing by, and Shinji has been escorted to the 13th Shelter by Section 2."  
  
The eyes of the Angel glow and then it fires a cross-blast at the city.  
  
"The first 18 layers of armor have been penetrated!"  
  
"Incredible! 18 layers of special armor in one hit," mumbles Hyuga.  
  
"Position Unit 02 inside the Geofront, directly in front of headquarters and have it attack the target as soon as it enters. What is the status of Unit 00?"  
  
"The left arm hasn't been regenerated yet," replies Ritsuko.  
  
"Sortie Rei in Unit 01 and have the dummy plug ready as a backup system," says Gendo.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Start entry."  
  
"Charging LCL."  
  
"Commencing A-10 nerve connections."  
  
Rei sits in the entry plug. Just as the last connections are established, she lurches forwards and covers her mouth with her hand.  
  
"Pulse flow is reversing!"  
  
"Unit 01 is refusing the neural connection!" says Maya.  
  
"Abort activation. Sortie Rei in Unit 00," comes Gendo over the comm, "Reactivate Unit 01 with the dummy plug system."  
  
"But Unit 00 isn't ready yet!" says Misato.  
  
"It is not a problem. I can go."  
  
"If I die, I can be replace," Rei mumbles.  
  
  
  
  
  
Zeruel fires four more cross blasts at the city, penetrating down to the last layer of armor. It fires the final blow, obliterating the last layer of armor. Below, Asuka stands ready, pointing a rifle at the hole in the Geofront. The Angel hovers over the hole and begins to descend.  
  
Just as the Angel begins to appear through the hole, Asuka opens fire at with a machine gun. All of the shots hit their mark. The Angel continues to descent, unfazed by the rounds impacting its flesh. As it lands, the gun runs out of ammo.  
  
"Damn it!"  
  
She tosses the gun aside and picks up two more machine guns and opens fire.  
  
"I'm neutralizing its AT Field, aren't I?" she mumbles.  
  
The rifles soon run out of ammo. She tosses them aside and picks up a pair of rocket launchers. The rockets fly from the tubes and explode on the Angel. The sides of the Angel unfold and then fly at Unit 02 at lightning- speeds. They slice through the shoulders. The Angel moves the blades, sending the Eva's arms flying off to its sides. Asuka screams in pain.  
  
"You bastard…"  
  
Asuka looks up at the Angel and stares in horror as it send the blade shooting out back at her.  
  
"Cut all the nerve connections, now!" yells Misato.  
  
The blade slices cleanly through Unit 02's neck, sending the head flying backwards.  
  
"What's the status of the pilot?!"  
  
"She's alive! The connections were cut just in time."  
  
  
  
  
  
The 13th Shelter…  
  
Shinji leans against one of the walls in the shelter.  
  
"Damn it! I should be out there helping. I hope Asuka's ok…."  
  
His thoughts are cut off by a large crash at the other end of the shelter. He falls to the ground and covers his head. After a few seconds, he stands up and stares in horror at at head of Unit 02.  
  
"No…Asuka…"  
  
Shinji stands up and looks around. He sees the two Section 2 guards under some of the rubble. He walks up to them and checks their pulses.  
  
"They're alive. Sorry guys, but I'm outta here."  
  
Shinji sprints off towards the nearest exit and makes a beeline for NERV.  
  
  
  
  
  
"What's the status of Unit 01?  
  
"It's rejecting the dummy system!" replies Ritsuko.  
  
"Unit 00 is being launched!" yells Shigeru.  
  
"What?"  
  
  
  
  
  
Asuka climbs out of the ejected entry plug. She climbs down and gazes up at what's left of Unit 02. She hears some movement behind her and turns around.  
  
"Kaji-kun! What are you doing here?!"  
  
Kaji faces the redhead.  
  
"That's my line."  
  
He turns his attention back to the ground in front of him.  
  
"What are you doing here, Asuka?"  
  
"My Eva was disabled by the Angel. I can't believe I can't do anything to help!!"  
  
"Well, since my other job has become public knowledge, I'm off the combat roster. So, here I am, sprinkling."  
  
"Why are you dong that now? An Angel is attacking!!"  
  
"What better time? Although I'd rather be between Misato's breasts, I wouldn't mind being here when I die."  
  
"What do you mean 'die'?"  
  
"Well, it is said that if an Angel comes in contact with Adam, who is beneath us, humanity will be eradicated. The Third Impact. The only thing that can stop the Angels is something with equal power."  
  
"The Evangelions."  
  
"Yes."  
  
The sound of mechanical parts moving attracts Asuka's attention. Unit 00 emerges from the ground and charges at the Angel.  
  
"What does Wondergirl think she's doing?! She only has one arm and no rifle! What does she…"  
  
Asuka's eyes widen with horror as she looks at what is cradles in the Eva's right arm.  
  
"An N2 Mine? Is she crazy?!"  
  
The blue Eva charges at the Angel It collides with its AT Field.  
  
"AT Field full power," mumbles Rei.  
  
Unit 00 pushes the mine into the field. It slowly begins to give way. She manages to break through the field and slam the mine into the core. Just before the mine reaches the core, a protective shielding closes around the red orb. The mine explodes, sending a shockwave through the area. After the smoke clears, Unit 00 is on the ground, deactivated.  
  
Kaji continues to water his watermelons.  
  
"A friend once told me something. He told me that love can conquer all. I really never understood it at the time, but now I do. So I pass it on to you. Just remember that, Asuka."  
  
Asuka doesn't respond. She watches as the Angel makes it way to headquarters.  
  
  
  
  
  
"It's heading here!" yells Shigeru.  
  
"What? What does it want with Central Dogma?"  
  
"I don't know, ma'am."  
  
"What's the status of Unit 01?"  
  
"It's still rejecting the dummy system!" says Ritsuko.  
  
"Abort the activation and eject the plug," orders Gendo.  
  
"But.."  
  
"If it won't accept it now, it never will. Evacuate Central Dogma, Major."  
  
Misato nods in reply. The emergency message blazes over the speakers.  
  
"All personal, evacuate Central Dogma. I repeat, all personal…"  
  
After a few minutes, the wall in front of the command crew crumbles and Zeruel steps through the gapping hole. The remaining crew stares in horror at the Angel. Its eyes begin to glow. Suddenly, Eva Unit 01 smashes through the right wall and tackles the Angel, sending both of them through the left wall. The Eva continues to struggle with the Angel. They crash through one of the cages. Unit 01 is slammed against a wall and the Angel fires a beam, slicing off the Eva's left arm. Shinji ignores the pain and rushes the Angel, sending towards the catapults.  
  
"Misato!!"  
  
"Launch catapult 5!!"  
  
Aoba nods in response and launches the platform.  
  
As the platform ascends, Shinji holds the Angel's had against the wall. They are shot out of the top. The Eva lands on top of the Angel and begins to punch at the core with its right arm.  
  
The crew rushes out of Central Dogma and watches the battle from a distance. Just as the Eva's fist comes down for a 5th time, it stops in mid-air.  
  
"Its internal batteries have run out. Unit 01 is silent," says Maya.  
  
"Shinji.."  
  
  
  
  
  
"Move! Move! Move!" yells Shinji as he pushes on the controls.  
  
The Angel wraps one of its 'arms' around the Eva's head and hurls it towards a nearby hill. Zeruel makes it way to the fallen fighter and tears off a piece of its chest armor. It then fires a blast at the chest plate, exposing a dark, red orb.  
  
The Angel appears to stare at the orb for a second. It pulls back its blades and begins to pound at it.  
  
  
  
  
  
The crew stares Unit 01.  
  
"Misato!!"  
  
Misato turns and sees Asuka running towards her.  
  
"Asuka! What are you doing here?"  
  
"I didn't feel like being stuck in that entry plug for the whole time so I got out."  
  
Asuka notices that the crew is all staring in the same general location. Curious, she follows their gaze.  
  
"Oh my God! Shinji!!"  
  
  
  
  
  
"Please move! I want to fight! I want to fight to protect..to protect all those I care about…all those that I love…"  
  
Images run through Shinji's mind, of Misato, Kaji, Ritsuko, Toji, Hikari, Kensuke, Rei, and all his friends. Then an image of Asuka appears.  
  
"Asuka. Let me protect them!! Let me protect her…."  
  
The sound of a heartbeat echoes through the plug. Shinji looks up. Another heartbeat echoes through the plug.  
  
  
  
  
  
The Angel brings its left 'arm' down for another blow. Suddenly, the Eva's eyes glow brightly. It brings its right arm up and shreds the blade between its fingers. The Eva grips the shredded blade and pulls the Angel towards it. The Angel lurches forward and lands on top of the Eva, its face right in front of the Eva's. Unit 01 breathes heavily and then kicks the Angel off of it, while holding onto the blade. It tears off of the Angel. Zeruel lands on its back. Unit 01 stands up and places the blade on what's left of its left arm. The blade begins to bulge with brown masses, and then it takes the form of the Eva's lost arm.  
  
  
  
  
  
"My God," mumbles Misato.  
  
"Sempai! Shinji's sync ratio is at over 400 percent!!"  
  
"What?! Are you sure about that?" asks Ritsuko.  
  
"Yes, and Unit 01's arm has been completely regenerated."  
  
  
  
  
  
Zeruel stands up and lashes at Unit 01 was its remaining 'arm.' The Eva sees this and raises its right arm and brings it down in a sweeping motion. The familiar orange octagons ripple in front of the Angel, slicing off its remaining arm. The Angel falls on its back. Unit 01 begins to sway forward. It leans over and is soon standing on all fours. It crawls towards the fallen Angel like a hungry spider. Zeruel makes an attempt to stand up but is stoped by the Eva's hand in its head. The Eva looks around for a second and then leans over the Angel and begins to feast.  
  
  
  
  
  
Maya covers her mouth as she looks away from the gruesome scene.  
  
"Is she taking the S2 organ into herself?" says Ritsuko as she stares wide- eyed at the Eva.  
  
"Misato! What's going on?" asks Asuka.  
  
"I don't know Asuka. I don't know."  
  
  
  
  
  
Unit 01 stands up and roars. Several areas on the armor break.  
  
"The bindings..," says a shocked Ritsuko.  
  
"Bindings?" asks Hyuga.  
  
"Yes. You see, that isn't really armor on the Evas. It is in fact bindings that allow us to control and use its power. Unit 01 has removed the bindings using its own will. We can no longer control her."  
  
"But what about Shinji?!" asks Asuka.  
  
"There's nothing we can do for him now. All we can do is wait till she deactivates."  
  
Asuka looks up at the berserk Eva.  
  
"Shinji…."  
  
  
  
  
  
The Eva looks around and begins to walk off away from the pyramid.  
  
"Where's it going?" asks Misato.  
  
Her question is soon answered as the Eva stops in next to the body of Unit 02. It reaches out and disconnects the umbilical cable. It then carefully picks up the Eva and carries it over to an area next to the pyramid.  
  
"What is it doing?" asks Aoba.  
  
"I don't know. I have never seen anything like this before," answers Ritsuko.  
  
The Eva lays Unit 02 on the ground and then walks off again. It soon returns with both of the red Eva's arms and its head. It places the parts in their respective locations and then places its own hands on Unit 02's chest. Unit 01's S2 organ begins to glow. Everyone watches on amazement as the limbs and head reattach themselves to the Eva's body. Unit 01 stands up again and walks off towards Unit 00. It kneels down next to the fallen Eva and tears off the armor above the entry plug. The entry plug is automatically ejected, expelling the LCL. It takes the entry plug into its left hand and picks up the Eva with its right and places it next to the other Eva. Unit 01 turns and walks towards the crew.  
  
Everyone begins to panic as the Eva approaches them. It stops and kneels down, gingerly placing the entry plug down near the crew. Unit 01 looks down at the crew for a few seconds, who stare back at it in a mix of shock, fear, and panic. The Eva then turns its sights towards Asuka. It stares for a brief moment, then shuts down. 


	14. Meetings

Chapter 14  
  
The day after…  
  
"How are the Evas?" asks Ritsuko as she stands in Central Dogma.  
  
"Amazingly, neither Unit 00 or 02 have any damages," replies Maya.  
  
"Interesting."  
  
"The MAGI system can be transferred to a new location. We may be able to start work tomorrow."  
  
"Then we'll have to scrap this place," says Ritsuko as she gazes at the hole the Angel left, "We'll have use the Secondary Control Center for the time being, then."  
  
"But then we won't be able to use the MAGI. The sensors don't run smoothly and the chairs are cramped. It'll be difficult to work there," says Maya.  
  
"At least it has the same layout as the original control center," says Aoba.  
  
  
  
  
  
At Unit 01's cage…  
  
Misato and Hyuga look up at the Eva. Its upper half and head are covered in bloodstained bandages. A single green eyes stares at them.  
  
"It may be restrained by the cage, but are you sure its safe?" asks Misato.  
  
"Yes, there's no activity from the Eva and the S2 unit," relies Hyuga.  
  
"Even so, Unit 01 has moved without power on three separate occasions. You can't judge by what you can see and measure."  
  
  
  
  
  
Secondary Control Center…  
  
The word 'Refused' flashes on Maya's computer screen.  
  
"It's refusing the code to eject the entry plug," says Maya.  
  
"What about the backup codes?"  
  
"Also refused. Even a direct circuit wouldn't work."  
  
"The plug's video monitor is still working, though," says Hyuga, "Switching to main screen."  
  
The main screen comes to life, showing the inside of Unit 01's entry plug. Everyone gasps at the image.  
  
"What the hell is this?" asks Misato.  
  
"I'd say that it's the truth behind the 400% synch - ratio," replies Ritsuko.  
  
"What happened to Shinji?"  
  
"The Eva has taken him into itself."  
  
"What is that suppose to mean? What exactly is an Eva?"  
  
"It is something created by man in man's own image. That is the only way I can think to describe it."  
  
"You didn't create anything. You just copied something you found in Antarctica. What was the original?"  
  
"It isn't a copy. It has a human will inside of it."  
  
"Are you saying somebody willed this to happen?"  
  
"No, the Eva did."  
  
Misato glares at her friend and slaps her with her good hand.  
  
"Aren't you going to take responsibility for this?! You created it!!"  
  
Ritsuko doesn't reply.  
  
  
  
  
  
The 2nd day…  
  
Rei lies in the hospital bed; a bandage is wrapped around her head and her left eye. Slowly, she opens her good eye and looks up at the ceiling.  
  
"I'm alive."  
  
  
  
  
  
Asuka lies in her bed, her face buried in her pillow.  
  
"Shinji, why did you have to do it? Don't leave me alone. Please don't leave me alone…"  
  
  
  
  
  
Ritsuko, Maya, and Misato stand in Unit 01's cage. The Eva stares at the group with it uncovered green eye.  
  
"What do you mean salvage Shinji?" asks Misato.  
  
"Well, theoretically, Shinji's life force still exists in there," replies Ritsuko.  
  
"So you're going to respect his life this time?"  
  
"Losing Shinji is out of the question."  
  
"I don't know. NERV wants Unit 01 as their tool, not Shinji."  
  
"Our assumption is that Shinji lost his ego boarder and is floating in the entry plug in quantum form," says Maya.  
  
"You're saying that Shinji's in a form that we can't see?" asks Misato.  
  
"Yes, the LCL has been chemically altered into something that resembles that seas of primitive Earth," replies Maya.  
  
"Everything that makes up Shinji is still in the plug and his soul is in there as well," says Ritsuko.  
  
"This operation must reconstruct Shinji's body as well has fix his soul in it," says Maya.  
  
"Is that possible?"  
  
"With the MAGI's help, yes."  
  
"This is all theoretical, am I right?"  
  
"Yes, but you'll never know unless you try."  
  
  
  
  
  
The 3rd day…  
  
Asuka makes her way to school, a depressed look on her face.  
  
"Hey, Asuka!!"  
  
Asuka turns around and sees Hikari running towards her.  
  
"Hi, Hikari."  
  
She catches up with Asuka and they walk to school together.  
  
"You look troubled Asuka, what's the matter?"  
  
"It's nothing."  
  
"Oh, come on. You can't fool me that easily. I know you too well. Beside, you know you can talk to me about anything!"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
Hikari sighs and looks up at the sky.  
  
"I wonder where Toji's been…," she mumbles.  
  
"She still doesn't know," thinks Asuka.  
  
"So, are you going to tell me what's bothering you or what?"  
  
"I'll tell you after school, ok, Hikari?"  
  
"Fine. And I'm going to hold you to that!"  
  
  
  
  
  
After school, the two girls walk from school together. They walk to the park and sit down on a bench.  
  
"So, what's bugging you?"  
  
Asuka looks down at her shoes.  
  
"You gotta promise not to tell anyone."  
  
"Ok, I promise."  
  
Asuka straightens up and looks up at the sky.  
  
"You know about the latest Angel attack and how Shinji stopped it, right?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Well, something happened and he was absorbed into the Eva."  
  
A single tear falls down Asuka's face.  
  
"What?! How is that possible?"  
  
"I don't know. I really don't know. They're trying to find a way to get him back, but it's all theoretical, so….."  
  
"It's ok Asuka. I'm sure they'll get him back. He is the Invincible Shinji Ikari, right?"  
  
Asuka smiles at her friend's comment.  
  
"Yeah, I guess you're right."  
  
"See, doesn't it feel better to talk to someone than to hold it inside?"  
  
"Hikari…"  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"There's…something I need to tell you."  
  
"Oh, no! Don't tell me Shinji got you pregnant!!"  
  
Asuka turns red.  
  
"NO!! That's not it!!"  
  
Hikari chuckles.  
  
"So what is it then?"  
  
"It's about Toji…"  
  
"Toji? What about him?"  
  
"I know I should've told you this earlier, but I just couldn't. You remember when he was all depressed?"  
  
"Yeah…"  
  
"Well, that was because he was chosen to be the Fourth Child."  
  
Hikari thinks for a moment. Then memories of Asuka referring to Shinji as the Third, Rei as the First, and herself as the Second come to her.  
  
"You mean…he was chosen to be…an Eva pilot?"  
  
Asuka nods. Hikari leans back on the bench.  
  
"If he was chosen to be a pilot, how come he's been missing lately?"  
  
"You remember the previous attack, before this one?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"They were doing an activation test of Unit 03 with Toji and during the test, it was taken over by an Angel.  
  
Hikari looks wide-eyed at her friend.  
  
"You mean, the Eva he was in was the Angel?"  
  
"Yes. When they had us attack, they never told us who was the pilot. The Angel managed to disable Rei and me, and then it went for Shinji. He refused to fight it. The Commander ordered him to attack, but he refused because there was someone inside. I'm really not too sure as to what happened next, but the Commander activated something in Shinji's Eva that acted like autopilot and began to tear apart the Angel. From what I was told, it was going to crush the entry plug, but Shinji some how managed to stop it."  
  
Hikari stared at her friend as she slowly absorbed all of this.  
  
"What…what happened to Toji?"  
  
"He was found alive, but was unconscious and……"  
  
"And what?"  
  
"And they had to amputate his left arm."  
  
"My God…"  
  
"I know I should have told you earlier, Hiakri. I'm sorry."  
  
"It's ok Asuka. I can understand why you didn't tell me. Where is he being held?"  
  
"In a NERV hospital."  
  
"That means…I can't see him…"  
  
"Not necessarily…."  
  
  
  
  
  
The two girls walk into the NERV hospital. A guard stops them at the door.  
  
"I'm sorry. Only NERV personal are allowed in here."  
  
Asuka reaches into her pocket and pulls out her NERV ID card and shows it to the guard.  
  
"Oh, I'm sorry. You may enter."  
  
Asuka walks past the guard. Hikari follows, but is stopped by the guard.  
  
"I'm sorry miss, but you can't go in."  
  
Asuka turns and faces the guard.  
  
"She with me, Commander's orders. If you have a problem with that you can take it up with him."  
  
The guard turns pale.  
  
"I'm sorry. You may enter."  
  
Asuka and Hikari enter the main area of the hospital and look up Toji's room.  
  
"You go on ahead, Hikari. I'll catch up."  
  
Hikari nods and heads off to Toji' room. When she finds the room, she slowly opens the door and walk inside. Toji is lying on the bed covered by a blanket. His right arm is on top of the blanket. Hikari sits next to the bed and places her hand on top of his.  
  
"Toji…"  
  
The boy doesn't respond. Asuka walks into the room. She grins at her friend.  
  
"Here."  
  
Asuka hands Hikari a card. Hikari takes the card and looks at it.  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"It's a special access card so you can come here whenever you want."  
  
Hikari jumps up and hugs her friend.  
  
"Thank you Asuka! I don't know how to repay you!"  
  
"No need. Besides, think of it was a gift for putting up with me all this time."  
  
Hikari chuckles at her comment.  
  
"Well, I gotta get to NERV for training. I'll leave you two alone."  
  
Asuka leaves the room. Hikari watches her friend leave.  
  
"She's changed, and for the better."  
  
Hikari turns around and stands next to the bed. She gazes at the sleeping boy.  
  
"Please wake up, Toji. I don't care what you look like. I will always love you."  
  
She leans over and kisses him on the forehead.  
  
"I'll see you later, Toji."  
  
Hikari walks out of the door. If she had stayed just a few more seconds, she would have seen Toji's hand curl into a fist and then uncurl.  
  
  
  
  
  
The 4th day…  
  
"What happened?" wonders Shinji.  
  
He gazes down at the seat in the entry plug.  
  
"I'm not here, yet I am. What's going on?"  
  
The scene begins to shift before his eyes.  
  
"What's going on?"  
  
The colors swirl around him and he is surrounded in a white light. When the light dies away, he finds himself, whole, lying in a field of grass. Shinji looks up at the clear sky. He shifts his gaze to a tree a short distance away. In front of the tree stands a woman around the age of 30, her back to him. Her short, brown hair sways slightly in the wind. She is dressed in a white lab coat. Shinji stands up and walks towards the woman.  
  
"Maybe she knows where this place is," he thinks.  
  
He continues to walk towards the woman.  
  
"She seems so familiar. As if I know her," he thinks.  
  
As Shinji stands a yard away from her, she turns around and smiles at him.  
  
"Hello, Shinji," she says.  
  
Shinji stops dead in his tracks as he stares at the woman.  
  
"M…mother?" he manages to get out.  
  
"Yes, Shinji. It's been a while."  
  
Shinji runs towards Yui and embraces her in a hug, tears falling down his face.  
  
"Mom! I missed you!"  
  
Yui hugs her son and strokes his head.  
  
"I've missed you too, Shinji. I've missed you too." 


	15. Power of Love

Chapter 15  
  
The 13th day…  
  
NERV hospital…  
  
A young doctor in his mid-thirties walks down the halls of the hospital. He stops as he hears a girl's voice. He follows that voice until he reaches a partially closed door. Curious, he peeks inside the room. Inside, he sees a young girl in a school uniform sitting by the bed in the room.  
  
"Toji, please wake up…"  
  
The doctor is about to enter the room, but is stopped by a hand being placed on his shoulder. He turns around and faces an older doctor.  
  
"Dr. Hikura! What are you doing here?"  
  
"Traffic wasn't as heavy so I arrived early."  
  
"I see."  
  
"So, what were going to do, Dr. Tamura?"  
  
"Well, I heard a voice so I thought I'd investigate."  
  
Dr. Hikura glances over the younger doctor's shoulder and into the room.  
  
"No need. The boy is just having a visitor."  
  
"Um, but isn't this facility accessible by NERV personal only?"  
  
"Yes it is, why?"  
  
"Well, how can he have visitors? As far as I know that boy's only relatives that work with NERV are his father and grandfather."  
  
"Well, you got me there. You're right, she doesn't work with NERV."  
  
"Well, then she's here without proper authorization. I'll have her removed immediately!"  
  
Dr. Tamura steps past the older man and heads over to the nearest phone. He picks up the phone, but is stopped by Dr. Hikura.  
  
"What are you doing? You said it yourself that she isn't suppose to be here."  
  
Dr. Hikura shakes his head.  
  
"I never said that. I just said that she doesn't work with NERV. Besides, its in the best interests of the boy."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Come with me."  
  
Dr. Tamura puts down the phone and follows the older doctor. They end up at the files area. Dr. Hikura pulls out a folder labeled 'Suzuhara, Toji.'  
  
"Look at these."  
  
Dr. Tamura takes the folder and leafs through it.  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"It's the boy's medical file since he was admitted."  
  
Dr. Tamura heads though the files for a few minutes.  
  
"Notice anything?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
He points to one of the daily reports.  
  
"After this point, he begins to recover at a faster rate."  
  
"Very good. Can you guess what caused it?"  
  
"Um, some new medication or something?"  
  
"Nope."  
  
Dr. Hikura leans the other doctor back to Toji's room and points into the room.  
  
"She caused it."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Ever since that day she started to come and visit him, his recovery rate increased."  
  
"That can't be a reason. Maybe his body finally began to repair itself."  
  
Dr. Hikura shakes his head.  
  
"No. This was caused by something that not even science can explain. It is one of the great mysteries of the universe."  
  
Dr. Hikura turns and walks down the hallway that he had originally come from with his hands in his pockets.  
  
"What do you mean? What is it?"  
  
Dr. Hikura turns his head.  
  
"It's love my fellow doctor. It's the power of love."  
  
  
  
  
  
Inside Unit 01…  
  
Shinji sits under the tree next to his mother, staring up at the blue sky.  
  
"Where are we, mother?"  
  
Yui looks down at her son.  
  
"We are inside Unit 01, Shinji."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Well, it would seem that you opened yourself up to the Eva."  
  
"I don't understand."  
  
"You know how you control the Eva with your mind as you would your own body and how its pain is your pain, right?"  
  
Shinji nods.  
  
"Well, this is sort of the closest you can get to controlling an Eva, you become one with it."  
  
"How is that possible?"  
  
"Well, in your case, you fully opened yourself to he Eva because you wanted to accomplish something with all your heart and would do anything to accomplish it."  
  
Shinji leans back against the tree, thinking about when the Angel was pounding at his Eva when the power had run out.  
  
"Yeah, I guess I did want it that badly, but what about you? How did you get absorbed?"  
  
Yui looks up at the sky.  
  
"You were there when it happened Shinji, but you were probably too little to remember."  
  
Shinji looks up at his mother.  
  
"10 years ago, we had completed Unit 01. I had wanted to test it personally to make sure it was safe for whoever would happen to pilot it. I wanted to make it safe for everyone. I had known that there was a one in a billion chance that I could be absorbed due a 400% sync-ratio, but I did it anyway. It came to pass that that was that one in a billion chance and I was absorbed into the Eva. I've been in here ever since."  
  
"You've always been in here?"  
  
"Yes, Shinji. I've always been here, protecting you."  
  
"Is that the reason it feels so comforting in the entry plug?"  
  
"Yes, it is."  
  
"But, what about when it does berserk?"  
  
"Well, I really don't control the Eva, but I do control its reason to go berserk, which is to protect you. The Eva then fights for that reason."  
  
"Mom…"  
  
Shinji hugs his mother, tears in his eyes.  
  
"So, Shinji. How is it going with Asuka?"  
  
Shinji blushes.  
  
"What? How do you…?"  
  
Yui smiles at her son.  
  
"Have you forgotten that when you pilot, you share your thoughts with the Eva? And since I'm in the Eva, I can see your thoughts. Beside, you can never hide anything from your mother."  
  
Shinji turns redder and looks at the grass under his feet.  
  
"Well, um…"  
  
"Do you truly love her, Shinji?"  
  
"Huh? But I thought that you said you could see my thoughts?"  
  
"Yes, I could see your thoughts, but not what's in your heart."  
  
"Yes, I love her. I love her with all my heart."  
  
"That's all I needed to know Shinji. I'm glad that you finally found someone."  
  
Shinji smiles.  
  
"I know, mom. I know."  
  
"From what I gather from you, she's like her mother."  
  
"You knew her mother?"  
  
"She was the head of the team that worked on Unit 02, that is, until the accident."  
  
"What accident?"  
  
"Well, a similar incident happened to her when she was testing Unit 02, except that she wasn't completely absorbed, only her mind. She was just an empty shell after. She was kept in the hospital and kept on referring to a doll as her daughter. Soon after the accident, she committed suicide and hung herself, and the doll."  
  
Shinji looks in bewilderment at his mother.  
  
"So that's why Asuka cries and calls for her mother in her sleep and why she keeps on calling Rei a 'doll.'"  
  
"Yes. The whole incident probably also made her the way she is today. I really can't be too sure, but she seems to show her true self when she's with you."  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"You just have to be patient with her, Shinji. Thanks to you, she has started to heal those wounds."  
  
"I hope so. It's just too bad about her mother. I mean, I have you here."  
  
"That's not entirely true."  
  
"What do you mean?'  
  
"Remember how I said she had a similar incident to mine?"  
  
"You mean, Asuka's mother is inside Unit 02?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Wow. This is something she'll want to know!!"  
  
"I wouldn't be so rash, Shinji. She's been through a lot. If you're going to tell her, tell her slowly."  
  
Shinji nods.  
  
  
  
  
  
The 31st day…  
  
Secondary Control Center…  
  
"We are ready to begin the operation, ma'am," says Hyuga.  
  
"Excellent. Now all we have to do is what for Misato…," says Ritsuko.  
  
As if on cue, Misato enters the control center accompanied by Asuka.  
  
"What is she doing here, Misato?" asks Ritsuko.  
  
"She wants to be here so I'm allowing it," responds Misato.  
  
"Fine. Let's begin the operation."  
  
"Ego boarder pulse connection is complete," says Maya.  
  
"Roger. Transmitting the first signal," says Hyuga.  
  
"The Eva has received the signal. No rejection confirmed," says Aoba.  
  
"Proceeding to second and third signals," says Maya.  
  
"Subject cathexis is normal," says Aoba.  
  
"Shift subject to stage 2," says Ritsuko.  
  
  
  
  
  
Shinji sits with his mother under the tree. Suddenly, the world around them begins to shift and twist.  
  
"What's going on?"  
  
"It looks like they are trying to bring you back."  
  
"But…but I don't want to leave you!"  
  
  
  
  
  
"It's no good. The ego boarder line is frozen in a loop," says Maya.  
  
"Irradiate the wave patterns in all directions," orders Ritsuko.  
  
Ritsuko looks over at Maya's minitors  
  
"It's won't work. The signals are trapped in Klein space."  
  
"What does that mean?" asks Misato.  
  
"It means that we've failed," answers Ritsuko.  
  
Ritsuko turns back to the bridge crew.  
  
"Abort the intervention! Reverse tangent plug! Return additions to zero!" orders Ritsuko.  
  
"Destrudo reaction in the old area! Pattern sepia," says Aoba.  
  
"A change is confirmed in the core pulse, too! Plus 0.3 is confirmed!" shouts Hyuga.  
  
"Maintenance of the status quo is top priority! Prevent backflow!" says Ritsuko.  
  
"Plus 0.5! Plus 0.8! This is odd. I can't stop it!" responds Maya.  
  
"What is this?! Why? Don't you want to come back, Shinji?" mumbles Ritsuko.  
  
"Eva is rejecting the signal!" shouts Maya.  
  
"LCL self-replenishment is dropping," says Aoba.  
  
"Pressure in the plug is increasing!" says Hyuga.  
  
"Abort all operations! Cut the power!" orders Ritsuko.  
  
"It doesn't work! The plug is being ejected!!" shouts Maya.  
  
In the cage, the main hatch of Unit 01's entry plug opens, spilling its contents into the coolant below. An empty plug suit falls out with the LCL and floats on the surface. Everyone stands and stares in horror as the events unfold. The silence is broken by two individuals shouting the same name at the same time.  
  
"SHINJI!!" yells Asuka and Misato.  
  
Asuka turns and runs off the control center, heading for Unit 01's cage.  
  
"Asuka!"  
  
Misato runs after Asuka.  
  
Asuka runs down the catwalk in front of the Eva. She passes the purple giant and falls to her knees at the edge of the catwalk. She reaches into the coolant and pulls out the empty plug suit. Asuka begins to cry as she hugs the plug suit. Misato catches up with her and kneels down next to her, placing her hand on her shoulder.  
  
"Why won't you give him back?!" Misato shouts at the Eva as she begins to cry with Asuka.  
  
  
  
  
  
Yui embraces her son.  
  
"You have to go back, Shinji. You can't stay here."  
  
Shinji looks up at his mother.  
  
"But…"  
  
"There are those that still love you, or have you forgotten the reason you were sent here?"  
  
Shinji looks at the ground for a moment before looking back up at his mother.  
  
"You're right. I have to go back, but I'll miss you."  
  
Yui smiles.  
  
"I will always be here with you, protecting you."  
  
Shinji smiles.  
  
"I love you, mom."  
  
"I love you, too, Shinji."  
  
They hug one last time. Shinji takes one last look at Yui and then walks off towards the horizon.  
  
"I'm coming, Asuka."  
  
  
  
  
  
The core of Unit 01 begins to glow, unnoticed by anyone. Asuka and Misato weep over the failed recovery of Shinji. Then a thump is heard to their left. Both women turn to see what caused the noise. They both stare in shock. In front of a now inactive core is the naked body of Shinji Ikari. Asuka releases the plug suit and runs over to the unconscious boy.  
  
"Shinji!!"  
  
She cradles the boy in his arms. Misato stands up.  
  
"Get a medical team over here, now!!" she shouts.  
  
  
  
  
  
Shinji moans slightly. He slowly opens his eyes.  
  
"Where am I?"  
  
"Well, look who decided to finally get up."  
  
Shinji turns his head to his right.  
  
"Toji!"  
  
Toji looks at the boy from his bed.  
  
"The one and only."  
  
Shinji smiles. He attempts to get up but is restrained by his left arm. Wondering what's holding his arm down, he looks at his arm. What is finds is a sleeping Asuka on his arm. A smile creeps up on his face.  
  
"See you're in the same situation I'm in."  
  
Slightly confused, Shinji looks over at his friend and finds his answer. From his bed he can see Hikari asleep on Toji's right arm.  
  
"I guess so."  
  
"What's say we wake 'em up, Shinji?"  
  
"Fine with me."  
  
Both boys adjust themselves in their beds and lean towards their girlfriends, giving them a kiss on the forehead.  
  
"Time to get up, Asuka."  
  
Asuka stirs and slowly sits up. Hikari does the same. Both girls rub their eyes. When their eyes had adjusted to the lighting, the stare into the smiling faces of their boyfriends. Asuka and Hikari then jump at their respective boyfriend and hug him. Shinji returns the hug, as does Toji.  
  
"I thought I had lost you, Shinji!"  
  
Shinji brushes a strand of hair out of Asuka's face.  
  
"I would never leave you. I promised myself to always be there to protect you and everyone. I don't intend to break that promise."  
  
Tears begin to fill Asuka's eyes as she embraces the pilot once again. Shinji lifts the girl off slightly and then kisses her. Toji, who was still being hugged by Hikari, lifts her head and kisses her.  
  
Outside of the room, Dr. Tamura glances into the room. He smiles and walks away.  
  
"The power of love…," he mumbles as he walks off. 


	16. Shopping

Chapter 16  
  
1 week later…  
  
School…  
  
"Take that back!!" yells Toji.  
  
"Why should I, stooge? It's true!" retorts Asuka.  
  
"I may have only one arm, but I can still beat you back to hell, demon!!"  
  
"Let's see you try it!"  
  
Off on the other side of the classroom, Kensuke and Shinji hunch over a desk, watching the fight before them.  
  
"Looks like things are back to normal, eh, Shinji?"  
  
"Yup."  
  
  
  
3 days later…  
  
Shinji reclines on the couch in Misato's apartment.  
  
"No school today," he mumbles.  
  
Asuka creeps up behind the couch. She peeks over the top and rests her head at the top.  
  
"Shinji…" she coos.  
  
"Huh?"  
  
He opens his eyes and looks up at Asuka.  
  
"What is it, Asuka-chan?"  
  
"I'm bored…"  
  
A mix of fear and worry comes over Shinji.  
  
"Er, um, what would you like to do?" he asks nervously.  
  
"Well, since you asked so nicely…"  
  
  
  
  
  
Rei sits up on her bed as she hears knocking at her door. She stands up and heads over to the door. When she opens it, she finds Asuka and Shinji outside.  
  
"Pilot Soryu, Ikari-kun."  
  
"Um, hi Ayanami."  
  
"What is the purpose of your visit?"  
  
"Well, Wondergirl…"  
  
"Asuka…" hisses Shinji.  
  
"Oh, fine."  
  
She turns to Rei.  
  
"I'll make a deal with you. If you stop with all the formal-stuff and just call me Asuka, I'll stop calling you Wondergirl. Is it a deal?"  
  
Rei looks at Asuka. She glances over at Shinji who nods slightly at her.  
  
"Ok, Asuka. I agree."  
  
"Great! Now let's get going!"  
  
"What are you talking about, Asuka?" asks Rei.  
  
"We're going shopping!!"  
  
"'We'?"  
  
"Yup! You, Shinji, and me!"  
  
"I am not in need additional clothes."  
  
"C'mon, Rei. All you ever wear is your school uniform and your plug suit! You need more clothes!!"  
  
"It'll be fun, Rei," says Shinji.  
  
Rei looks at the two for a moment.  
  
"I will accompany you."  
  
"Great! Let's get going then!"  
  
  
  
  
  
3 hours later…  
  
Asuka and Rei head through the mall. Behind them, Shinji tries to keep up with them with his arms full of bags. Asuka turns around.  
  
"Hurry up, Shinji! We still got half of the mall left before they close!!"  
  
"Hai," he weakly replies.  
  
The three of them continue their trek through the mall.  
  
"Ooooooo! Look at that!"  
  
Asuka runs over to one of the stores.  
  
"C'mon Rei!"  
  
Asuka and Rei head into the store. Shinji looks around and finds a bench. He sits down and sets the bags on the floor.  
  
"How much can two girls buy?"  
  
He slumps on the bench and watches the two girls shop through the window. After a few minutes, they both disappear into the changing rooms. Shinji's eyes begin to wander around him. His attention is caught by a jewelry store behind him. He picks up the bags and heads over to the windows at the store.  
  
"I don't remember this place being here before," he thinks.  
  
His eyes gaze over the various pieces of jewelry in the store's window. They stop at the center of the window. In the center of the window sits a gold ring with three fiery rubies set on it. The rubies are arranged with a large one in the center and two smaller rubies on either side of the large one. Small diamonds line the ring. Shinji looks at the ring for another second then enters the store.  
  
"May I help you?" asks the jeweler.  
  
"Um, I was wondering about that ring in the window, the one with the rubies?"  
  
"Oh, yes! That's one of our latest additions. It makes a great engagement ring. "  
  
"Engagement ring?"  
  
The jeweler nods. Shinji thinks for a moment. The jeweler pulls out a key and opens one of the drawers behind him. He takes out a red ring box and places it on the counter.  
  
"Is this the one you are referring to?"  
  
He opens the box, revealing the same ring Shinji was gazing at in the window.  
  
"Yes, that's the one."  
  
"I presume that this ring is for a very special lady?"  
  
Shinji blushes slightly.  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"So will you be purchasing this ring?"  
  
"Um, how much is it?"  
  
"Well, its 87,000-yen (~$650)."  
  
Shinji's eyes go wide with shock. HE pulls out his wallet and begins to count his bills.  
  
"Only got 85,000-yen," he thinks.  
  
"I'll tell you what," says the jeweler, "I'll let you have the ring for 80,000-yen."  
  
"Really?"  
  
The jeweler nods.  
  
"I can tell that it's someone special."  
  
"Wow, thanks."  
  
"Now, do you know her ring size?"  
  
"Her ring size?"  
  
Shinji panics for a moment, then remembers something and reaches into his pocket. He pulls out a small, simple red ring.  
  
"That's right! Asuka asked me to hold this for her," he thinks.  
  
He hands the jeweler the ring.  
  
"Ok, give me a moment."  
  
The jeweler walks into the backroom. Shinji starts to pull out the money from his wallet.  
  
"It's expensive, but she's worth it," he thinks.  
  
The jeweler re-appears with a red ring box.  
  
"Here you are."  
  
He hands Shinji the ring as he hands him the money.  
  
"Thank you. Please come again."  
  
"I will."  
  
Shinji exits the store and sits back down on the bench. He opens up the box and gazes at the ring.  
  
"An engagement ring. It's perfect for her," he thinks.  
  
He closes the box and places it in his pocket. Just then Asuka and Rei head out of the store, with two bags. Shinji groans.  
  
"What did I do to deserve this torture?" he thinks.  
  
  
  
  
  
3 hours later….  
  
Asuka and Rei had gone off to get some ice cream, leaving Shinji to watch their stuff. Shinji slumps down in the chair in the food court. He places the bags down around his chair. Soon, the pair returns with two cups of ice cream. Shinji watches as they sit down and begin to eat. He leans back and closes his eyes.  
  
"Shinji-kun," says Asuka.  
  
Shinji opens his eyes and sees Asuka holding a spoon full of ice cream in front of him. He blushes slightly and accepts the ice cream. Asuka smiles sweetly at him. She eats another spoon full and then gives Shinji a spoon full. They repeat this until all of the ice cream is gone. During this time, Rei glances up and watches the events before her. She glances from Asuka to Shinji, and then back to Asuka.  
  
"What is this feeling?" she thinks.  
  
Rei glances at Asuka.  
  
"Is this jealousy? Am I jealous of Asuka?" she thinks, "Is it because she is with Shinji-kun?"  
  
She continues to eat her ice cream, pondering the question and her new emotion.  
  
  
  
  
  
30 minutes later…  
  
Asuka, Rei, and Shinji stand outside of Rei's apartment.  
  
"I hope you had a good time, Rei," says Shinji.  
  
"It was an interesting experience."  
  
Shinji turns to Asuka.  
  
"Well, guess we had better get going."  
  
"You can head back. I'm gonna stay and help Rei set up her new wardrobe. Just tell Misato I'll be home late, ok?" says Asuka.  
  
"Ok, I'll see you later."  
  
Shinji picks up Asuka's packages and heads for Misato's apartment. Asuka turns to Rei.  
  
"C'mon, let's get going."  
  
Asuka walks into Rei's apartment and closes the door behind her.  
  
  
  
  
  
Later that evening…  
  
Rei lies on her bed, staring at the ceiling. She reviews the events of that day. Out of the experience, one thought comes to her mind.  
  
"Shopping is fun," she thinks.  
  
A smile forms on her face as she falls asleep. 


	17. Pains of the heart

Chapter 17  
  
"I'm home," weakly announces Misato as she enters the apartment.  
  
She looks around.  
  
"Where are they?" she wonders.  
  
Her question is answered by a note placed on her beer fridge, stating that they had gone out. Misato lets out a sigh and opens the fridge. She grabs a beer and sits down at the table. After taking a long drink, she rests her head on the table and thinks.  
  
"What have you gotten yourself into, Kaji?"  
  
  
  
  
  
FLASHBACK  
  
A few hours ago…  
  
Misato sits in a dark room. Across from her stand two Section 2 agents.  
  
"Sub-Commander Fuyutsuki was abducted?" asks Misato.  
  
"He was abducted two hours ago and was last seen in the 8th District," replies one of the agents.  
  
"That's inside out installation. What the hell are you guys in intelligence going?"  
  
"The whole thing was set up by someone inside our operation. We were taken by surprise."  
  
"Someone who could outwit Section 2? It couldn't be him!" whispers Misato.  
  
"Ryoji Kaji is suspected of being the mastermind behind this plot."  
  
"Then that's why you can for me."  
  
"We believe that you can be of use to us. As your colleagues, we regret having to consider the Director of Tactical Operations as a suspect, but that is the nature of our profession."  
  
Misato reaches into her jacket and pulls out her gun and NERV ID card, placing both items on the table.  
  
"Considering our relationship, it's a natural precaution."  
  
"We appreciate your cooperation. Take her away."  
  
  
  
  
  
A few hours later…  
  
The door to the darkened brig opens with a hiss. Misato looks up from her chair. An agent walks in and holds out a tray with her gun and ID card.  
  
"Thank you for your cooperation."  
  
"Is it over?" asks Misato.  
  
"Yes, the problem has been solved."  
  
"I see."  
  
Misato stands up and takes her gun and ID card, placing both items back in her jacket.  
  
"Where is he?"  
  
"I have no idea."  
  
  
  
  
  
Elsewhere….  
  
Kaji stands against a wall in an industrial building. Behind him, a giant industrial ventilation fan slowly spins. The sound of footsteps soon echoes throughout the large area. Kaji turns from his sideward gaze and looks at the approaching person.  
  
"Oh, hi! You're late."  
  
A gunshot echoes throughout the area.  
  
END FLASHBACK  
  
  
  
  
  
Misato stands up from the table and walks own the hallway to her room. As she passes by the answering machine, she notices that there's a message on the machine. She stops and presses the play button.  
  
"Katsuragi, it's me," comes Kaji's voice over the recorder, "I'm sure you're listening to this message, especially after I caused you so much trouble. Sorry. Please tell Ristuko 'I'm sorry,' too. And there's one more thing to trouble you with. I've been growing watermelons. I'd appreciate it if you could water them for me. Asuka knows where they are. Katsuragi, the truth is with you. Don't hesitate, move ahead! If I ever see you again, I'll say the words I couldn't say eight years ago. Bye."  
  
Misato places her hands on the table to hold herself up as tears begin to fall down her face.  
  
"This message was recorded at 12:02 pm."  
  
"You fool. You were always such a fool."  
  
Misato falls to her knees, unable to stop the tears from coming.  
  
The door to the apartment opens.  
  
"We're home, Misato!" shouts Shinji.  
  
The two pilots enter the apartment, removing their shoes at the door. As they enter the living room, they notice the sound of crying emanating from somewhere in the apartment. Cautiously, they both follow the sound of until they find Misato, on her knees, crying by the answering machine. Shinji and Asuka rush to the side of their guardian.  
  
"Misato, what's wrong?" asks a concerned Shinji.  
  
Misato responds by clutching the boy and resting her head in his shoulder, continuing to cry.  
  
"He's not coming back…not coming back…," mutters Misato.  
  
Shinji and Asuka help Misato to her feet and half carry, half drag her to her room. They lay her down in her bed. Asuka leaves the room.  
  
"What got into her?" she wonders.  
  
She stops at the answering machine.  
  
"Maybe this has some answers."  
  
She walks over to the machine and replays and most recent message.  
  
In the meantime, Shinji had covered Misato with her futon and stayed by her side until she had calmed down. Satisfied that she was asleep, he slowly walked out of the room and closed the door. He turns and heads to find Asuka. As he nears her, he can hear the ending of a message being played.  
  
"…I couldn't say eight years ago. Bye."  
  
"That sounded like Kaji," he thinks.  
  
He stops to find Asuka, tears in her eyes as she gazes at the answering machine.  
  
"Asuka! What's wrong?"  
  
He walks to the side of his girlfriend. She looks up at him with tear- filled eyes.  
  
"He's gone, Shinji."  
  
"Who's gone?"  
  
Asuka wipes the tears from her eyes and replays the message for Shinji. As the message ends, tears till Shinji's eyes.  
  
"My God. Misato must be devastated."  
  
"He's not coming back, Shinji…"  
  
Shinji embraces Asuka as she cries on his chest.  
  
"It's ok, Asuka. Don't worry, I'm here."  
  
He does his best to console her. After she had calmed down a bit, they both went to his room and fell asleep, wrapped in each other's loving embrace. 


	18. Painful Memories

Chapter 18  
  
Makoto Hyuga sits on a bench near the Geofront lake. He is dressed in his standard NERV uniform, sitting with his hands on his knees. For a moment, he leans back against the back of the bench and lets out a sigh.  
  
"Where is she?" he wonders.  
  
Hyuga bolts upright at the sound of approaching footsteps. He turns in the direction of the footsteps and spies Misato coming towards him. Acting on instinct, he stands up quickly and salutes the Major.  
  
"Hello, Major!"  
  
Misato approaches the rigid bridge bunny and shakes her head.  
  
"Hyuga, how many times have I told you, you don't have to do that when we aren't on duty or at NERV?"  
  
Hyuga drops the salute and sits back down on the bench.  
  
"Sorry, bad habits."  
  
Misato leans up against a light post besides the bench. She turns to him with a serious look on her face.  
  
"So what do you have?"  
  
Hyuga rests his hands on his elbows on his knees and looks straight ahead.  
  
"They've given the OK for the next Eva series. Seven different countries have gotten the rights to start construction on the Evas."  
  
"Seven different countries? How many are going to be made?"  
  
"Apparently there will be a total of nine units."  
  
"So that makes the series up to number 13 then?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Any info on the designs for the Evas?"  
  
"From what I collected, they will be all of the same design. I'm still checking for more data."  
  
"Thanks Hyuga. You've been a big help."  
  
"Anytime Misato."  
  
  
  
  
  
3 days later…  
  
"Status!" shouts Misato as the lift brings her up to the command bridge.  
  
"Sensors have detected an unknown object in orbit. The MAGI have just confirmed, blood pattern blue. It's the 15th Angel!!" reports Hyuga.  
  
"What's the estimated time till contact?"  
  
"Estimates show contact with the target in about 30 minutes."  
  
"What's the status of the pilots?"  
  
"They have just been inserted into their Eva. Starting up activation now," reports Maya.  
  
"So, any ideas on how we destroy this thing?" asks Misato.  
  
"Well, seeing that it's in orbit, we can only attack it with long-range weapons," says Aoba.  
  
"Well, Ritsuko?"  
  
"We can equip one of the Evas with the Type 20 Positron Cannon and another with the Positron Sniper Rifle, though this time we won't be able to draw power from all of Japan like we did with the JSDF rifle against the 5th."  
  
"Ok, then! Equip Unit 01 with the Positron Cannon, being that he has the highest synch-ratio, and Unit 02 with the Sniper Rifle."  
  
"That is unacceptable, Major."  
  
Misato turns around and stares up at the Commander, who is sitting in his usual position, his gloved hands intertwined, resting in front of his face, blocking the view of his face below his nose.  
  
"How come, sir?"  
  
"Unit 01 will remain in cryo-stasis until I see it is needed."  
  
"Keep it in cryo-stasis?"  
  
"We cannot afford contamination of Unit 01. Is that clear, Major?"  
  
Misato cringes slightly.  
  
"Yes, sir."  
  
She turns back to the bridge crew.  
  
"Change in plans. Sortie Unit 02 with the Positron Cannon and Unit 00 with the Sniper Rifle."  
  
Fuyutsuki looks down at the Misato and then steps up next to Gendo.  
  
"Are you sure that was a wise decision, Ikari?"  
  
Gendo continues to look straight ahead with an emotionless look on his face.  
  
"Yes, I am sure. It is all part of the plan."  
  
Fuyutsuki looks at the main monitors.  
  
"Your son will probably not approve of this."  
  
"It doesn't matter. The scenario will be fulfilled."  
  
"You know what's going to happen, don't you Gendo? You're just trying to protect Yui from what's about to happen by putting Asuka in her place," he thinks.  
  
  
  
  
  
10 minutes later…  
  
"WHAT?!" shouts Shinji from inside his entry plug.  
  
"It's the Commander's orders, Shinji. Unit 01 is to remain in cryo-stasis until further orders. I'm sorry."  
  
Misato cuts the comm link to Unit 01.  
  
"Damn you father," thinks Shinji, "How can I protect them now?"  
  
  
  
  
  
5 minutes later…  
  
Unit 02 stands on the once lively streets of Tokyo 3. On its left shoulder was attached the Type 20 Positron Cannon. The large, white weapon was attached to the Eva's shoulder, which meant removing the shoulder wing. The main section of the cannon was encased in white metal, to protect the circuitry within. At the end of the cannon, just before the semi-circular section that attached to the shoulder, was a blue circle with the numbers '20' written on it. Behind the red Eva was Unit 00 with the Positron Sniper Rifle resting on a building in front of it. The sky was dark, the sun blocked by the dark gray clouds. Rain pelted the massive bio-mechs as they stood, waiting.  
  
Asuka sits in the entry plug of her Eva, her hands crossed across her chest.  
  
"Stupid Angel! Why doesn't it move faster?"  
  
"Patience Asuka," says Misato over the comm.  
  
She just slumps in her plug and waits.  
  
  
  
  
  
10 minutes later…  
  
Asuka grips the controls inside the entry plug as she concentrates on the targeting system's screen.  
  
"C'mon, just a little bit closer…"  
  
The two targeting cursor slowly make their way from the sides of the screen towards the center. Slowly, she begins to depress the trigger. Suddenly, the clouds in front of Unit 02 form a circular opening. A beam of light enters through the hold in the sky and engulfs the Eva.  
  
"What is that? Is it the Angel's weapon?" asks Misato.  
  
"No, there are no thermal energy reactions coming from it," replies Shigeru.  
  
"I'm getting abnormal readings in the pilot's brain patterns! Mental contanimation is occurring!!" shouts Maya.  
  
"A psychic attack? Is it trying to understand the human mind?" questions Ritsuko.  
  
Inside the entry plug, Asuka fires wildly at the Angel. Two shots fly towards the Angel, but miss. The other shots impact at various locations along the hillsides surrounding Tokyo 3.  
  
"The Positron Cannon is out of ammunition!" says Shigeru  
  
"What's the analysis of that ray?" asks Misato.  
  
"The pattern is similar to that of an AT Field, but the details are unknown," replies Hyuga.  
  
Asuka's screams of pain echo throughout the bridge.  
  
"No! Stop! Stop it! Don't rape my mind!!" screams Asuka.  
  
Inside Unit 01, Shinji cringes slightly as Asuka's cries come over the comm.  
  
"Asuka…"  
  
  
  
  
  
"Rei, it's up to you!" shouts Misato.  
  
Rei pulls down the targeting screen and prepares to fire. The targeting cursors blink across the screen until they line up in the center, one atop another. She grits her teeth as she pulls the trigger, sending the deadly beam towards the Angel. The crew stares at the main screen as the blue streak flies towards space. As it approaches the Angel, it impacts its AT Field, the orange hexagonal wall flickering for a moment at the point of impact. The AT Field causes the blast to split in several directions away from the Angel.  
  
"Can we give more power to the rifle?" asks Misato.  
  
Ritsuko shakes her head.  
  
"There isn't enough time."  
  
"What if we loaded Unit 00 on a F-Wing and had it fire while its airborne?"  
  
"If we did that, it would leave Unit 00 vulnerable to attack."  
  
"Damn."  
  
  
  
  
  
Inside Asuka's mind…  
  
A younger version of Asuka stands in the doorway to a hospital room. On the other end of the room lies her mother in the bed, cradling a doll in her hands. The doll had blue button eyes and red yarn hair. She gently caresses the doll's hair.  
  
"Now, it isn't nice to stare at strangers," she says to the doll.  
  
Asuka turns and leaves the room.  
  
"I hate dolls," she whispers.  
  
A younger version of Asuka runs down a path, her red hair flowing behind her.  
  
"Mama!" she cries as she runs.  
  
"Mama! I was selected to be an Evangelion pilot!! Mama!!"  
  
She opens a door to a dark room and stops dead in her tracks, her expression changed from one of great joy to one of shock. In front of her was her mother hanging by a rope attached to the ceiling. Next to her was the doll, also hanging by a rope.  
  
A younger version of Asuka throws a teddy bear to the floor.  
  
"Asuka, why did you do that? Don't you like the gift from your new mother?" asks her father.  
  
"I don't like dolls! I'm not a child anymore. I'm going to be an adult!" she shouts.  
  
She crosses her arms and looks away.  
  
"And she isn't my mama," she whispers.  
  
  
  
  
  
Asuka lets out another cry of pain as she grips her head with her hands.  
  
"No! Don't make me remember!!"  
  
She curls up in the entry plug, bringing her legs up to her chest.  
  
  
  
  
  
Shinji grips the controls inside the entry plug as she listens to Asuka's pleas and cries of pain..  
  
"Mother," he whispers, "help me."  
  
  
  
  
  
"Major!" shouts Maya as she turns away from her console.  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"Unit 01 has activated!"  
  
"What?!"  
  
"Increase LCL pressure in the entry plug to subdue the pilot. We have no time for this," says the Commander in his monotone voice.  
  
"Yes, sir," replies Maya weakly.  
  
She begins to input the appropriate commands into her console.  
  
"Sir! Unit 01 isn't accepting the signal!"  
  
Just then, Shinji opens a comm to the bridge. He gazes through the video feed with determination in his eyes.  
  
"Father, I give you two options. Either you launch Unit 01 or I force my way out to help Asuka. The decision is yours."  
  
The entire crew turns their gazes up at Gendo. He stares at the screen for a moment before responding.  
  
"Sortie Unit 01."  
  
Misato smiles as she turns away from the commander. She looks at the bridge crew.  
  
"Well? You heard the man!"  
  
They begin the preparations to launch the Evangelion.  
  
Fuyutsuki steps up next to Gendo.  
  
"She's sided with her son."  
  
Gendo doesn't respond.  
  
  
  
  
  
After the preparations were made…  
  
"Evangelion Unit 01, ha shin!!"  
  
The purple Eva is hurled up to the surface through one of many launch tubes. After what seemed like an eternity to Shinji, the Eva comes to an abrupt halt.  
  
"Disengaging final safety locks."  
  
Shinji wastes no time. As soon as the Eva is released, he charges towards Unit 02.  
  
  
  
  
  
Gendo opens a link to Unit 00.  
  
"Rei, head down to Terminal Dogma and retrieve the Lance."  
  
"Ryokai."  
  
"The Lance of Longinius? I don't think SEELE will be pleased with this, Ikari."  
  
"It doesn't matter. The main priority is to destroy the target and the Lance is the only way to do it."  
  
  
  
  
  
Unit 01 stops next to Unit 02, out of the way of the ray.  
  
"AT Field, full power!" shouts Shinji.  
  
The Eva lifts its arms up in front, its palms facing outwards. A familar orange field manifests in front of the two Evas.  
  
"The AT Field is having no effect!" reports Maya.  
  
Shinji grits his teeth and concentrates on the field.  
  
"I promised, no, I have to protect them, protect them all. I can't loose her. I won't let Asuka die!" thinks Shinji, "Mother, help me."  
  
The Eva's eyes glow brightly.  
  
"Ma'am! The AT Field is blocking out 5% of the ray!" reports Maya.  
  
"It's working…," mumbles Misato.  
  
"10% of the ray is being blocked, 15%, 20%, 30% and rising!!"  
  
Misato smiles.  
  
"When you're in love, anything is possible," she thinks.  
  
Inside, Unit 02, the effects were also visible. Asuka began to relax more and more as the ray was being blocked.  
  
"65% of the ray is blocked, and holding steady."  
  
Shinji opens a comm to Unit 02.  
  
"Asuka!"  
  
She slowly opens her eyes and looks at the floating image of Shinji.  
  
"Shinji-kun…"  
  
"Hold on Asuka! I'm right here!"  
  
  
  
  
  
At the same moment…  
  
Unit 00 was slowly descending towards the deepest region of NERV: Terminal Dogma. Inside the entry plug sat Rei, her arms crossed over her chest as she gradually descended.  
  
"Why am I doing this?" she thinks, "I know the Commander is ordering me to, to destroy the Angel. Why do I feel as if I want Asuka to suffer? Am I jealous of her, of her being with Shinji-kun?"  
  
Her thoughts are interrupted by a message from one of the bridge crew announcing that she was 100 feet from the end of her journey. Rei repositions herself in her seat and prepares for the task at hand. The blue Eva stops with a slight lurch. It looks up and proceeds to its destination. After a few moments, the Eva stops in front of a massive metal door.  
  
  
  
  
  
Back at the bridge…  
  
Gendo stares at the monitors inside Terminal Dogma. He sits up from his position and presses a button on his desk. A panel slides away, revealing a palm scanner and a number pad. He proceeds to remove his left glove and place his bare hand on the scanner.  
  
"Identified as Ikari, Gendo. Please enter password," said a soft, female voice.  
  
Without removing his hand from the scanner, he uses his right hand to input a ten-number code.  
  
"Password accepted. Opening Heaven's Gate," came the voice again.  
  
Gendo removes his hand the scanner and replaces the white glove. The panel closes. He adjusted his gloves and resumes his original position.  
  
  
  
  
  
The massive metallic doors shuttered for a second, then begin to move apart, allowing the Eva entrance into the heart of NERV's LCL production facility. They stopped with a slight, hollow crashing noise. Unit 00 walks in the shallow, artificial lake of LCL. It steps over a small metal landing before coming to its destination. In front of the Eva stood a giant, white being crucified to a red cross. The nails that held the creature to the cross by its wrists resembled black crosses. Its bald head was slumped forward at a slight angle. An oval, purple mask covered its face. On the face of the mask were seven eyes in two columns, four on the left, three on the right. The eyes themselves were oval shaped, with the pupil in the center. The creature had no legs, only a lumpy mass where its legs would have been. Final, embedded in its chest, was a red, two-pronged lance. The staff part of the lance looked as if the two tips were twisted together to make it.  
  
Rei looked up at the white being for a moment. Slowly, she willed her Eva to grip the red Lance. The Eva reached up with its hands and grips the Lance. With one swift motion, it removes the Lance from the creature's chest. Just then, the lumpy mass at its waist expands for a brief moment and then changes into a pair of white legs that shoot down into the lake of LCL, creating several waves. The now whole creature made no further movements. It was clear that it was sexless. Rei turned and left for the surface, Heaven's Gate closing behind her, sealing the creature off from the outside world once again.  
  
  
  
  
  
Unit 00 is lifted to the battlefield, the Lance of Longinius in hand. Shinji turns slightly and sees the blue Eva.  
  
"Rei, eliminate the target!" orders Misato.  
  
The Eva grips the Lance with both hands, preparing to hurl it at the orbiting Angel. Rei stops her movements as she thinks.  
  
"Why am I doing this? I know I'm jealous of Asuka for having Shinji-kun. If I kill the Angel, I'll save her, but if I don't she may die or have severe brain damage, leaving Shinji-kun for me," she thinks.  
  
She looks at the image of Shinji floating in her entry plug. He has a look of determination on his face as he concentrates on protecting Asuka.  
  
"But if Asuka dies or can't be with him, he will be saddened. I will do this not for Asuka, but for Shinji-kun, so that he may be happy."  
  
The Eva leans back partially before charging forward. As it pulls the Lance back in preparation to throw it, it releases its left hand from the Lance. With one, swift movement, it sends the Lance of Longinius flying towards the Angel.  
  
As the Lance passes through the sky, it seems to push everything away from it. As it passes through the clouds, it produces a large hole from where it pierced the cloud mass. The entire bridge crew is glued to the main screen, watching the Lance. Just as it passes above the clouds, the two tips twist around each other, changing the Lance into a single-tipped spear. In an attempt to stop it, the Angel puts up its AT Field, but it is useless. The Lance flies right through the field as if it was never there, shattering it. It passes right through the Angel and its core, without losing any of its momentum. The Angel explodes in orbit, leaving no trace of it.  
  
In the bridge, the crew was celebrating their latest victory.  
  
"What is the position of the Lance?" asks Gendo in his monotone voice.  
  
The celebration dies down as everyone returns to his or her stations.  
  
"It has just achieved lunar orbit," reports Shigeru.  
  
"The Lance is lost, Ikari," says Fuyutsuki," SEELE will not be pleased."  
  
"I shall deal with them when the time arises," responds Gendo.  
  
Misato turns to face the bridge crew.  
  
"Send recovery teams for the Evangelions!" she orders.  
  
  
  
  
  
Later…  
  
Asuka sits on top of a building, her arms wrapped around her knees, with Unit 02 standing next to it, behind her. The area is blocked off with yellow tape. On the tape are the words:  
  
'Warning! Contaminated Area. Do Not Cross.'  
  
Shinji steps up to the yellow tape and looks at Asuka. He reads the warnings, but pays no heed to them as she ducks under the tape and walks up to Asuka.  
  
"Asuka-chan…"  
  
"Leave me alone! I don't need your sympathy!!" she shouts.  
  
Behind them, Unit 02 begins its descent back to NERV HQ.  
  
"But…"  
  
"I said leave me alone!!"  
  
Shinji starts to turn around, but stops. He takes a deep breath and walks up to her, kneeling down and embracing her.  
  
"Get off of me, ecchi!"  
  
She tries to throw Shinji off of her, but to no avail.  
  
"I won't leave you. I made a promise, to be there for you, no matter what. This is one of those times. I won't leave because I care about you, because I love you. I will love you no matter what."  
  
Asuka stops struggling as the word sink in. Tears begin to fill her eyes. She clutches his chest as she buries her head in his shoulders, crying.  
  
Shinji looks down at the redhead, caressing her hair.  
  
"It was horrible, Shinji-kun! Horrible…," she says between sobs.  
  
"Shhhh. It's over now. I'm here."  
  
Behind the door that leads to the stairwell, a pair of crimson eyes watches the two pilots from a crack in the door. She turns and heads down the stairwell, a single tear falling down her cheek. 


	19. Opportunity

Chapter 19  
  
Thursday.  
  
Asuka, Shinji, and Misato sit around the table in the apartment, eating dinner in silence. This is how meals had been for the 'family' ever since the 15th attacked.  
  
"I'm done."  
  
Asuka stands up and leaves the table. She walks into her room and closes the door. Shinji watches her the entire time. As her door closes, he stands up and heads to her room. He doesn't get far as his guardian stops him by placing a hand on his shoulder. Shinji turns to face Misato.  
  
"But Misato."  
  
"Shinji, she's been through hell during that last attack. She just needs some time to herself, ok?"  
  
Shinji lets out a sigh and nods.  
  
"Thanks, Shinji."  
  
  
  
Later that evening.  
  
The doorbell to the apartment rings.  
  
"Shinji-kun, can you get the door, please?" asks Misato.  
  
"Hai."  
  
Shinji stands up from the couch and heads to the door. He opens the door, revealing Rei on the other side.  
  
"Rei! Um, what are you doing here?"  
  
"I.came to see how Asuka was doing."  
  
"Oh, um, please come in."  
  
"Thank you, Shinji."  
  
Shinji steps aside, allowing Rei entrance to the apartment. Misato comes out of her room at that moment.  
  
"Shinji-kun, who was at the door?"  
  
She sees Rei in the living room.  
  
"Oh! Hi Rei. What brings you here?"  
  
"I came to see how Asuka was doing, Major."  
  
"Well, she's fine, physically. Mentally, well, she just needs some time to herself to think and sort some things out."  
  
"I see."  
  
During this time, Shinji had gone into the kitchen to get their guest some tea. Shinji returned with a cup of tea and a can of Yebisu beer in hand. He hands Rei the tea and Misato the beer.  
  
"Thank you, Shinji," says Rei with a slight blush on her cheeks.  
  
"You're welcome Rei."  
  
He turns to his guardian.  
  
"I'll be right back, Misato. I have to do something."  
  
"OK, Shinji-kun."  
  
Shinji takes this opportunity to leave and head to his room.  
  
"Major."  
  
"Rei, when I'm off duty or not at NERV, you don't have to be formal. Just call me Misato, OK?"  
  
Rei thinks for a moment.  
  
"Yes,.Misato."  
  
"That's better. Now, what did you want to ask me, Rei?"  
  
"You had said that Asuka needed time alone, right?"  
  
"Yes, I did."  
  
Rei hesitates for a moment before saying anything.  
  
"Would it be better for her if Shinji stayed at my apartment until she.sorts things out?"  
  
Misato stares at the girl for a moment.  
  
"I never thought of that, but I don't want to bother you with housing Shinji."  
  
"It will not be a inconvenience, Misato."  
  
Misato takes a drink of her beer as she thinks about the girl's offer.  
  
"Well, I suppose it would be better for Asuka. She probably needs a few days to herself. You're sure that you don't mind?"  
  
"I am sure."  
  
"OK, then. I'll talk to Shinji about it. He will probably move in tomorrow"  
  
"That is acceptable."  
  
Rei stands up and heads to the door.  
  
"Rei."  
  
The blue-headed girl stops and turns to face Misato.  
  
"Thanks."  
  
"You are welcome, Misato."  
  
She puts on her shoes and exits the apartment. Misato watches the girl leave.  
  
"Now to talk to Shinji-kun."  
  
She stands up and heads to his room.  
  
  
  
At the same moment.  
  
Shinji closes the door to his room behind him. He looks around his room and then heads to his dresser. Opening the middle drawer, he digs under his clothes for something. A small smile appears on his face as he finds the object. He removes his hand from the drawer and closes it. Shinji sits on his futon and gazes at the red ring box in his hand. Using his thumb, he opens the cover, revealing the ring within. He slowly turns the box so as to observe the ring from different angles.  
  
"When should I ask her?" he whispers.  
  
He continues to gaze at the ring until someone knocking at his door interrupts his thoughts.  
  
"Shinji-kun?"  
  
Shinji panics and looks around franticly for somewhere to hide the ring. He quickly closes the lid and shoves the ring box under his pillow.  
  
"Y-yes, Misato?"  
  
The door to his room opens and Misato steps inside. She sits next to the semi-nervous Shinji.  
  
"Shinji-kun, are you alright?"  
  
By this time Shinji had begun to sweat.  
  
"No, I'm fine. It's just.hot. That's all."  
  
"Yeah, it is kinda hot."  
  
Shinji breathes a sigh of relief that his excuse was accepted.  
  
"Did you want something Misato?"  
  
"Oh, yeah. Well, you know how I was saying that Asuka needs some time to herself?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Well, I was talking to Rei and she said that you could stay with her for a while, to give Asuka some time to herself."  
  
Shinji blinks at his guardian.  
  
"Rei.said that?"  
  
"Yup. So, I just wanted to tell you that. I'll drop your stuff off at her apartment tomorrow and you can head there after school."  
  
"But what about Asuka? Does she know?"  
  
"Don't worry about her, Shinji-kun. I'll tell your girlfriend tomorrow."  
  
Shinji blushes at the comment.  
  
"Misato!!"  
  
"He he. Now get your stuff packed. You'll probably stay with her for about a week."  
  
Misato stands up and leaves Shinji to pack for the stay.  
  
Shinji waits a few minutes after Misato had left before he brought the ring box back out.  
  
"I guess I had better take this along, just incase."  
  
He places the ring box in his pocket and begins to pack for his stay.  
  
"I wonder why Rei offered to let me stay over? I guess she's becoming better friends with Asuka," he thinks.  
  
He begins his task of packing.  
  
  
  
The next day.  
  
Shinji walks down the nearly empty streets of Tokyo 3 after school towards his destination.  
  
"I hope Misato already dropped off my stuff."  
  
He climbs the stairs of the old apartment complex, the sound of construction echoing in the distance.  
  
"I still don't see why she lives here."  
  
He stops in front of the door marked '402.' Numerous envelopes are stuffed into the slot at the bottom of the door. He turns to the handle to find that it was unlocked.  
  
"I really should talk to Rei about locking her door," he thinks.  
  
Shinji cautiously enters the small apartment, removing his shoes at the door. He glances around his temporary living area. A single bed was in the largest room, a lamp hanging above the head of it. On the wall next to he bed was a plain wooden dresser with a mirror attached to the wall. The next wall had a metal cabinet with a beaker of water sitting on top of it. The trashcan next to the cabinet was full of bloody bandages.  
  
"Well, it's cleaner than the last time I was here."  
  
He drops his bag against the wall and walks into the room. A single white box was sitting in a corner.  
  
"At least my stuff's here."  
  
Shinji turns and heads into the kitchen, exploring its contents. He finds a partially used jar of grape jam in the refrigerator, a half-used loaf of bread, and a can of tea leaves in the wooden cabinets. He lets out a sigh and glances at his watch.  
  
"Rei said she had some tests at NERV, so that should give me enough time."  
  
He puts on his shoes and exits the apartment.  
  
  
  
Later.  
  
Rei enters her apartment and removes her shoes. She notices the bag against the wall.  
  
"Shinji must be here," she thinks.  
  
She walks into the room and stops dead in her tracks. The once semi-brown walls were now an off-white color. Her bed had on a sky blue cover with matching pillowcase and blanket. The beaker of water was empty and upside down on the cabinet and the trashcan was empty. As she breathes in the air around her, she finds that it was a pleasant smell to it, not a musty odor like it had before. She also becomes aware of the smell of cooking coming from the kitchen. Slowly, she approaches the doorway and peers inside. She finds Shinji wearing an apron, standing in front of the stove stirring the contents a pan. Sensing her presence, he looks up from the pan and to the door.  
  
"Oh, hi Rei! Dinner should be ready soon."  
  
Rei feels the warmth in her cheeks rising.  
  
"Shinji, what happened to my apartment?"  
  
"Oh, well, I came here after school and decided to clean it. It's the least I could do for you allowing me to stay here."  
  
"It looks.better."  
  
"It was nothing."  
  
"Especially compared to Misato's place," he thinks.  
  
"You should have enough time to take a shower before dinner, Rei."  
  
"Yes, I think I will do that."  
  
Rei heads into her room, dropping off her bag and grabs her clothes, and heads into the bathroom, closing the door behind her.  
  
As Shinji dishes out the contents of the pan, he can hear the sound of running water coming from the bathroom.  
  
"She's changed since I first met her," he thinks, "She's more.alive."  
  
  
  
Misato's apartment.  
  
Asuka walks around the apartment, looking for something.  
  
"Misato, where's Shinji?"  
  
Misato pokes her head out of the kitchen.  
  
"Oh, he'll be staying with Rei for a while."  
  
"WHAT?!?!"  
  
Misato winces at her response.  
  
"Why is HE staying with HER??"  
  
"Well, Rei came over the other night and offered to let Shinji stay with her to give you some time to yourself to sort things out and stuff."  
  
Asuka calms down a bit.  
  
"She did that, for me?"  
  
"Yup!"  
  
"After the way I treated her, too," she thinks, "Guess she isn't that bad after all."  
  
She heads off towards her room.  
  
"At least I'll be able to see him when we have sync-training this weekend," she thinks happily.  
  
The phone begins to ring. Misato turns off the stove and answers it.  
  
"Hello?.Oh, hi Ritsuko! What can I do for you?..Yeah..uh, huh.ok, I'll be sure to tell them.thanks..bye."  
  
Asuka pokes her head out of her room.  
  
"Who was that, Misato?"  
  
"That was Ritsuko."  
  
"What did she want?"  
  
"Just to say that she wants you in for testing Saturday and Sunday."  
  
"What?! Why?"  
  
"She said that she wants to run some tests on Unit 02 and you."  
  
"Are Shinji and Rei coming, too?"  
  
"Nope. She just wants you."  
  
Asuka groans and heads to her bed.  
  
"This day can't get any worse," she mumbles.  
  
"Oh, by the way Asuka, dinner will be ready soon!"  
  
Asuka freezes, a look of dread on her face.  
  
"Y-You cooked, Misato?"  
  
"Of course! Since Shinji isn't here, that means I'll have to handle the cooking."  
  
She jumps onto her bed and buries her head in her pillow, suppressing a cry of aggravation.  
  
  
  
Rei's Apartment.  
  
Shinji started washing the dishes from their vegetarian stir fry and rice dinner. Rei watches him from outside of the kitchen door. She walks in, grabs the towel, and begins to dry the dishes. Shinji looks up at her and smiles.  
  
"Thanks, Rei."  
  
For the second time that day, she blushed.  
  
"You're.welcome Shinji."  
  
Shinji turns his attention back to washing and misses the increasing redness in her cheeks.  
  
"Why does he make me feel this way?" she thinks, "But I can't because I'm."  
  
Her train of thought is cut off as Shinji looks at her concerned.  
  
"Rei, are you ok?"  
  
"I am fine. I was just.thinking about something."  
  
"Oh, ok."  
  
  
  
Later that evening.  
  
Shinji unfolds his sleeping bag on the floor next to the wall to the left of her bed. He is already dressed in his sleeping clothes, which consist of shorts and a tank top. After he unzips the sleeping bag, he digs through his belongings and pulls out his SDAT, placing it on his pillow. Shinji turns around as he hears the sound of footsteps behind him.  
  
Rei casually walks pass Shinji and to her bed.  
  
"Goodnight, Rei," says Shinji.  
  
"Goodnight Shinji."  
  
Shinji opens up the sleeping bag and starts to get inside, but stops when he hears the sound of ruffling clothes. Curious, he stops what he was doing and turns around to find Rei undressing herself.  
  
"R-R-Rei! What are you.doing.?" he asks nervously.  
  
She stops unbuttoning her blouse and looks at him curiously.  
  
"I am preparing to sleep."  
  
"Y-you sleep w-without any clothes on?"  
  
"Yes. Does this.bother you?"  
  
"Uh, um, don't you have any sleep clothes or something?"  
  
"I have none. They didn't seem necessary. Why?"  
  
"Um, well, it's just that it would be better if you slept with something on."  
  
"You are embarrassed by this?"  
  
"Er."  
  
"But what would I wear? I have nothing else."  
  
"H-hold on."  
  
Shinji darts from his sleeping bag, tripping over it several times in the process. He rummages through his belongings and pulls out an over-sized shirt.  
  
"You can borrow this."  
  
Rei studies the shirt for a moment before taking it.  
  
"Thank you."  
  
Shinji heads back over to his sleeping bag and lies down. He puts his buds on and presses 'Play' on his SDAT.  
  
Rei watches Shinji for a moment before removing the rest of her clothes, except for her undergarments and puts on the shirt. She feels the heat rising in her cheeks.  
  
"Why do I feel like this?" she thinks, "It is just his shirt."  
  
Unconsciously, she rubs the material between her fingers. She lies down in her bed, pulling the covers over her body. Various thoughts run through her mind as she falls asleep.  
  
  
  
Sunday.  
  
Shinji lies down on his sleeping bag. The room was quiet, except for the sound of the shower. He begins to reflect on the events of that weekend.  
  
"Rei's changed a lot since I first met her," he thinks, "She's becoming more.open, more.alive."  
  
He smirks at the last comment. Thoughts run through his mind about that weekend: showing Rei how to cook, helping her clean, and of redecorating her apartment at bit. The once plain apartment was now full of life. A vase of assorted flowers sits where the beaker of water once sat. Blue window shades hung over the windows. Several new dishes sat in the cabinets in the kitchen.  
  
He glances at the clock.  
  
"4 O'clock," he mumbles, "Better make dinner soon."  
  
With a grunt, he sits himself upright on his sleeping bag and slowly stands up, stretching his back in the process. He turns towards the kitchen only to face a naked Rei.  
  
"R-Rei?" he manages to get out as he tries to prevent his head from exploding due to all the blood rushing to his face.  
  
Rei looks at the boy, a slight blush on her face.  
  
"Shinji."  
  
"Why do I feel like this? He has seen me naked before. Yet, I feel.uneasy under his gaze," she thinks.  
  
"R-Rei, um, d-don't you think you should p-put some clothes on?" he asks nervously.  
  
"Shinji.I."  
  
"W-What is it, Rei?"  
  
She takes a step towards him. Shinji can't do anything but stand where he is and use all of his might to keep him from looking lower then her head. By the time Shinji has gotten some of his senses back, Rei was standing a foot from him. He jumps back in surprise. Rei looks at him questionably.  
  
"Do I.frighten you?"  
  
Shinji takes a deep breath and regains most of his composure.  
  
"No.it's just that you surprised me. That's all."  
  
Rei accepts his answer. She looks at him for a moment before turning her head away from him, her face red.  
  
"Shinji.do you find me.beautiful?"  
  
Shinji looks at Rei curiously.  
  
"Why would she ask me that?" he wonders.  
  
"Of course I find you beautiful, Rei. Who wouldn't find you beautiful?"  
  
Rei blushes even more at the compliment. She turns and embraces the young Ikari.  
  
"Rei! What.?"  
  
He doesn't get to finish as the blue-headed girl silences him by pressing her lips against his. His body goes stiff, but as he recovers from the shock of it all, he relaxes and settles into the kiss. Rei eventually breaks the kiss.  
  
"Rei."  
  
"Shinji.I.want to become one with you."  
  
Shinji lets the words sink in, unsure of their meaning at first, then it strikes him like an N2 mine.  
  
"Wait a minute Rei! We.we can't do this!"  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"Well, um, because.because we're still young!" he blurbs out.  
  
"I thought this is what people do when they are in love?"  
  
"Yes, no, I mean yeah, that's right."  
  
"Then age should not matter."  
  
"Rei.I can't."  
  
Rei takes a step back from Shinji.  
  
"Then you do not love me."  
  
Tears begin to fill her eyes.  
  
"No, I do love you, Rei. It's just.not in that way."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Rei, there are different kinds of love. Yes, I love you, but more like a friend. No, more than a friend, like a sister."  
  
"And what of Asuka?"  
  
"I love her as the person I want to spend the rest of my life with. I really can't describe that kind of love."  
  
"I see."  
  
Rei turns and begins to walk away from him. She stops as Shinji places his hand on her shoulder.  
  
"Rei.I'm sorry."  
  
"It is alright, Shinji. I understand."  
  
"I'm sure you'll find somebody. A beautiful girl like yourself shouldn't have that much trouble."  
  
She turns around and smiles at him.  
  
"Thank you, Shinji."  
  
Rei kisses him on the cheek and walks into the bathroom to put on her clothes. Shinji stand there, gazing at the spot where she had stood.  
  
"I'm sorry, Rei."  
  
He heads to the kitchen to prepare their dinner.  
  
  
  
Monday morning.  
  
Rei groggily sits up in her bed, pushing her sheets off of her body. She looks out the window.  
  
"The sun has just risen," she whispers.  
  
She steps out of bed and carefully walks past the sleeping Shinji. As she heads to the bathroom, something catches her eye in the box filled with Shinji's belongings. Curious, she walks up to the box and carefully picks up the object. The light reflects off of the red boxes surface as Rei turns it in her hand. She opens the box and finds the ruby ring within. She glances at Shinji, then back at the ring.  
  
"An engagement ring. It must be for her."  
  
She quietly closes the box and places it back in his box.  
  
"You are lucky to have him, Asuka."  
  
  
  
School.  
  
The lunch bell rings in classroom 2-A. The students rush out of the room, eager to escape the boring lecture of Second Impact, again, as well as to fill their stomachs. Room 2-A quickly empties out, leaving just Asuka and Rei in the room.  
  
"Hey, Rei?"  
  
Rei turns around to face her fellow pilot.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"I just want to say, thanks."  
  
Rei looks at her curiously.  
  
"For what?"  
  
"For putting up with Shinji and.for being my friend."  
  
Rei can't help but smile at the girl that used to insult her at ever opportunity and not want to do anything with her. That same girl was now calling her a friend.  
  
"I don't know about you, but I'm starved!" exclaims Asuka.  
  
"Shall we go and eat?"  
  
"Lets!"  
  
The two Eva pilots exits the classroom, not as classmates or co-workers, but as friends.  
  
Sorry about the delay on the release of this chapter!! I've been busy with work and Driver's Ed, plus I was away for 2 weeks for a competition, so I couldn't work on the chapter that entire time. Anyway, The next chapter will be up faster than this one. Hope you are all enjoying this fic as much as I am writing it. Don't forget to post reviews!!!!!!! 


	20. Sacrafice

Chapter 20  
  
Darkness shrouds the fortress-city of Tokyo 3. Stars shine brightly in the heavens above. The city lights push back the darkness that threatens to engulf it. The night is a time of rest from another busy day. For one person, it was a time of horrible dreams.  
  
Asuka tosses and turns in her sleep, eventually waking up for the eighth time that evening. Her blue eyes, which were once full of life, gaze at the white ceiling above. The same dreams haunt her over and over that evening, each time succeeding in waking her. As she gazes at the ceiling, a single word escapes her lips.  
  
"Useless."  
  
  
  
Earlier.  
  
"C'mon, Asuka, concentrate."  
  
Asuka looks up for a moment before letting her head drop, closing her eyes in pure concentration.  
  
Ritsuko, Misato, and some of the tech crew continue to monitor the pilots as the sync-testing draws towards its second hour. Misato's gaze shifts from the live entry plug feed to another, each time ending on the feed from Asuka's plug. Next to her, Ritsuko hunches over the console, monitoring and reading the data being collected by the computers.  
  
"How she doing, Ritsu?"  
  
"Not too good. Her sync-ratio is fluctuating at 40%."  
  
The head of Project E types in a series of commands into her console bring up an array of data.  
  
"If her sync-ratio continues to degrade at this rate, she won't be able to activate Unit 02 in a month. If, and when, her sync-ratio reaches that point, we will more or less have to look for a replacement pilot for Unit 02."  
  
Misato turns to her friend.  
  
"A replacement? But why?"  
  
"Misato, we need pilots that are capable of piloting the Evas and countering the Angel threat. What use is a pilot that can't pilot?"  
  
"Can't you do anything to help her or improve her sync-ratio?"  
  
Ritsuko shakes her head.  
  
"I can't. There's nothing wrong with her physically. It's all here."  
  
She taps her head, emphasizing her point.  
  
"Asuka's problem is in the mind. It's something only she can fix."  
  
Unknown to the two women, the communication channel to Asuka's plug had been on the entire time, allowing her to hear every word of their conversation.  
  
"All right, children! We're done for the day."  
  
  
  
Present.  
  
Asuka turns over on her side, clutching the blanket close to her body. She closes her eyes and drifts back into the world of dreams.  
  
  
  
Several days later.  
  
"Status!"  
  
Sirens blaze around NERV HQ while various employees scramble to their stations.  
  
"An unknown object was sited heading towards the city approximately three minutes ago," reports Hyuga.  
  
"What's the analysis of the object?" asks Misato.  
  
"Analysis completed. Pattern.blue! It's an Angel!!"  
  
"Go to red alert!"  
  
Red lights flash around the headquarters. Above the bridge, the Commander and Sub-Commander watch over the buzz of activity below, showing no reaction to the latest information.  
  
"So, the 16th has finally arrived?"  
  
"So it seems," replies Gendo in his emotionless monotone.  
  
Fuyutsuki studies Gendo for a moment, looking for any kind of reaction, but finds none. He lets out a sigh and turns his attention to the bridge.  
  
"Do we have visual of the target yet?" asks Misato.  
  
"Yes, it just came into range. Putting it up now."  
  
The main screen flickers to life, projecting the live feed. On the screen, a large, white ring hovers over a set of electrical wires in the hills of Tokyo 3. It slowly moves towards the city, maintaining its altitude and rotating in a clockwise direction.  
  
"What do we have on the target?"  
  
"Nothing. Strength of AT Field is unknown, core location is unknown, and its abilities are also unknown. All we know is that it's an Angel."  
  
"Great," mumbles Misato.  
  
"Ma'am! The pilots have been inserted and are standing by."  
  
"Thanks, Maya."  
  
Misato establishes a link to the three pilots.  
  
"We don't have much data on the target. All we know is that it is slowly making its way towards the city, so be careful when you engage it."  
  
"Hai," reply all the pilots in unison.  
  
"Unit 01 is to remain in cryostasis. Asuka, you and Unit 02 will engage the target first. Rei, you just stand by for now. Good luck."  
  
She turns off the link and turns her attention back to the main screen, then the bridge crew.  
  
"Launch Unit 02!"  
  
  
  
The red Eva is propelled up the launch tube towards the surface. It exits at the edge of the city in one of the mock-up buildings. The door opens as the final safety locks are disengaged. An image of Misato appears in the entry plug.  
  
"OK, Asuka. Grab the pallet rifle in the armory building and head towards the target."  
  
Asuka nods in reply and pushes her controls forward, but gets no response from the Eva. She tries again, but receives the same result. Frustrated, she sharply pulls the controls back and forth, her head lowered.  
  
"Move, damn it! Move!"  
  
The Angel makes its way into the city limits. It passes by the red bio- mech, as if it were never there.  
  
  
  
Misato watches the stationary Eva from one of the numerous cameras placed around the city.  
  
"Why isn't it moving?"  
  
She makes her way to Maya's control console.  
  
"What's happening? Is something wrong with the Eva?"  
  
"No, the Eva is fully functional."  
  
"Then why isn't it responding?"  
  
Maya enters a series of commands, bringing up data on the Eva.  
  
"Her sync-ratio is at 25%. There's no way she can move the Eva with that low of a sync-rate."  
  
"What?! 25%? How did it get so low?"  
  
"It's in her mind."  
  
Misato whips around to face the source of the voice. Ritsuko takes another sip of her coffee before continuing.  
  
"She's locked her mind out. There's no way she can pilot the Eva in this state."  
  
"Then what."  
  
"Sortie Unit 00."  
  
Misato looks up at the person who cut her off. Gendo pays no attention to the Major as he continues to stare at the main screen.  
  
"Launch Unit 00!"  
  
  
  
The blue and white Eva emerges on the surface, a few blocks from were Unit 02 stands. It rushes over to a nearby armory building and grabs the sniper rifle within. Immediately, the Angel stops its journey into Tokyo 3. Rei seizes the opportunity and ducks behind a nearby building, using it as cover as she centers it in her scope.  
  
  
  
The bridge crew watches the stationary Angel as it continues to rotate in place.  
  
"What is it doing?"  
  
Maya looks over the data being received by the MAGI.  
  
"Sensors don't indicate any sort of activity, Major..Wait! Something's happening!"  
  
  
  
The Angel stops rotating and reverses its spin. As it slowly rotates, it splits at a single point, stretching out its circular body into a straight line. One it its ends moves around, as if it is searching for something. It stops and charges towards its target with lighting fast speed.  
  
Rei gasps as she realizes where it is heading. It's heading towards her. The Eva grabs its rifle and dashes away from its hiding spot, narrowly missing the Angel. Having missed its target, the Angel turns sharply and resumes its chase.  
  
The Eva makes its way to the hills outside the city and turns to face its stalker. Rei wills her AT Field into existence in front of her unit, hoping to stop the Angel in its tracks. The Angel charges towards its target. It reaches the AT Field, and slips right through it, burrowing itself in the Eva's abdomen.  
  
  
  
Sirens sound all over the bridge.  
  
"What happened?!" demands a shocked Misato.  
  
"The Angel passed right through Unit 00's AT Field as if it were never there!" reports Hyuga.  
  
Warnings flood over Maya's console, alerting her of the Eva's condition.  
  
"Reading contamination of Unit 00! The Angel has come in contact with it bio-components!"  
  
"What?!"  
  
"Contamination at 5% and rising!"  
  
"Is there anyway to stop it?"  
  
"No," responds Ritsuko, "the only ay is to destroy the Angel before the contamination can spread any farther."  
  
  
  
Rei cries out in pain in the LCL filled entry plug, her back arching as the Angel continues to contaminate the Eva. Large veins emerge around the Angel on Unit 00's abdomen and slowly spread throughout it. Similar veins are visible on Rei, mimicking the condition of her Eva.  
  
Unit 00 grabs the Angel by its free end and rams the muzzle of the rifle into its body, firing off several shots, each having no visible affect on it. It discards the now spent rifle and pulls out its Progressive Knife. The Angel detects the threat and speeds up its assault. Overwhelmed by the pain, the Eva hunches over, dropping the weapon, the veins now up to its chest. Rei struggles to remain in control of the Eva, but blackness overcomes her.  
  
  
  
Rei slowly opens her eyes. The first sensation that she feels is of liquid around her legs. As her vision clears, she discovers that she is waist- deep in LCL. The sea of orange liquid spreads as far as her eyes can see. She looks around her and finds nothing, except for the LCL, herself, and the blackness around her. A splash behind her catches her attention and she quickly turns towards the origin of the sound. What she finds is herself.  
  
"Who are you? Are you the Angel?"  
  
"I am what you would refer as an 'Angel.'"  
  
"What do you want?"  
  
"To unify with you. Do you not want to become one with me?"  
  
Rei takes a step away from the other Rei.  
  
"No, you are the enemy."  
  
"You call us 'enemy,' yet, you are like us. Does that not also make you the enemy?"  
  
"I."  
  
"Hmm. Fear? You are afraid, afraid of death. Why? Cannot you be replaced?"  
  
Rei ponders the question. She knows her answer, yet she is unsure of it.  
  
"I am Ayanami, Rei. I am unique. I cannot be replaced."  
  
The Angel looks over Rei.  
  
"I see."  
  
It closes its eyes for a moment, as if in deep thought. Rei watches the Angel cautiously. Then it opens its eyes once again.  
  
"Jealousy. You are jealous of another, are you not?"  
  
The blackness around her comes to life. Images of the Second Child, Asuka Langley Sohryu, flash around the darkness. One image remains hovering in front of Rei, of the time she saw Shinji comforting Asuka after the 15th.  
  
"You do not like her becoming close to the other one."  
  
Rei remains silent, turning her head to avoid eye contact with the Angel.  
  
".then something must be done about her."  
  
  
  
The Angel stops moving. Its free end looks around and finds what it is looking for. It darts towards the inactive Unit 02, while still remaining attached to the blue Eva. Rei opens her eyes and can only watch as the Angel closes in on Asuka's Eva.  
  
"No.."  
  
Asuka looks up from her entry plug and sees the Angel coming at her. Fear overcomes her and she tries desperately to activate her Eva.  
  
"Move!!"  
  
Her cries are left unanswered as the Angel reaches the red Eva and wraps around its left leg and proceeds to it up.  
  
  
  
Misato is frantic as she can only watch the battle above.  
  
"What is it doing? Is it trying to merge with Unit 02 also?"  
  
"I'm not reading any signs of contamination," responds Maya from her console.  
  
"Then what is it doing?"  
  
  
  
The angel lifts up the red giant into the air and holds it in place. Inside of Unit 00, Rei tries to stop the Angel, but to no avail.  
  
"No, please don't."  
  
The angel doesn't respond to Rei's protests and continues with its assault. With one quick motion, it slams Unit 02 into the hillside, kicking up debris and imbedding the Eva in the dirt. It then proceeds to pull the Eva out of the hill and smash it into the opposite hillside.  
  
Inside the battered Eva, Asuka cries out in pain, as her Eva is repeatedly smashed into the hillsides.  
  
  
  
The bridge crew stares at the screen in horror as Asuka's Eva is thrown around like a rag doll.  
  
"Prepare to sortie Unit 01," commands Gendo from his position above the main command center.  
  
"Start the unfreezing process!" commands Misato.  
  
  
  
Inside Unit 01's entry plug, Shinji grips the control handles, as look of determination on his face.  
  
"Hold on, Asuka, Rei. I'm coming," he mumbles.  
  
  
  
Rei finds herself in the LCL sea once again. She turns to face the Angel.  
  
"Why are you doing this?" she demands.  
  
"Is it not what you want? To eliminate her to keep her away from the one you wish to become one with?"  
  
"No! She is my friend!"  
  
"Interesting. She is your friend, yet she hurts you."  
  
"She doesn't do it on purpose! Now stop hurting her, please!"  
  
By this time, was on the verge of tears, looking at the Angel with pleading eyes.  
  
The Angel is about to answer, but something catches its attention.  
  
"He is coming."  
  
The next thing Rei knows is that she is back in the entry plug. She looks down and find a small drop of water on her legs.  
  
"These are my tears? I've been crying?"  
  
A loud mechanical 'clank' echoes throughout her entry plug. She looks up to find Unit 01 walking out of the catapult with a pallet gun.  
  
"Shinji-kun."  
  
Having detected its arrival, the Angel stops its assault on Unit 02 and drops the battered Eva.  
  
  
  
Shinji surveys the battlefield. He sees the battered form of Unit 02 in the distance, dents all over its dirt-covered armor.  
  
"Asuka!!"  
  
He wills his Eva towards the fallen Eva. As he charges forward, something catches his attention out of the corner of his eye. He quickly jerks his controls back, stopping the massive bio-mech. Just then, the Angel flies through where his Eva would have stood if he hadn't stopped.  
  
"That was close."  
  
The Eva disengages the safety on its weapon and scans the area for any sign of the Angel. As if on queue, the Angel darts around the corner and heads towards its target.  
  
Shinji grits his teeth as the centering clusters make their way towards each other. The two markers overlap each other, flashing brightly on the screen. He jerks the trigger back, sending a volley of hot metal at the approaching Angel. The rounds fly past their target, unable to hit the sleek Angel.  
  
He quickly reassesses the situation and wills his Eva back to dodge the Angel, hoping that it would fly right past him. As the purple giant turns, the Angel arches upward, slamming into the pallet gun. The impact shatters the several-thousand dollar weapon as if it were a mere toy. Shinji stumbles back, caught off guard by the Angel's sudden change. Luckily, there was a skyscraper behind the Eva, which absorbed the impact and kept it upright.  
  
Inside the entry plug, Shinji cringes as the Eva impacts the building. As the pain subsides, he slowly opens his eyes, only to see the Angel closing in. He wills the Eva to its feet, but he isn't fast enough. The Angel darts between the giant's legs and makes its way up its left side, moving behind the head and then around to face its target.  
  
Shinji instinctively leans back, trying to get away from the Angel, which was right in front of his Eva's face. As Shinji, watches the Angel, the end begins to pulse and change shape. Staring at it with a mix of fear and curiosity, he watches as the end takes the form of a pure white Rei, with the area from the waist down still connected to the rest of the snake-like Angel.  
  
Shinji's eyes go wide as the Angel giggles at him. It slowly makes its way towards the Eva's face and caresses its cheek. Shinji shivers with fear at its touch, wishing it would just go away. The Angel cocks it head to the side and giggles again, resting both of its hands on the sides of the Eva's face. Inside the entry plug, Shinji lets out a scream of terror.  
  
  
  
"Shinji-kun!"  
  
Rei stares at the 'screen' in the blackness, which shows the Angel holding Unit 01's head. The sound of Shinji's scream continues to echo throughout the void. The Angel turns around to face the ecstatic First Child.  
  
"Is this not what you wanted? To become on with him?"  
  
Rei falls to her knees, the LCL now up to her chest. Ripples form in the orange liquid as the tears continue to fall.  
  
"No! I don't want this! I don't want to see him in pain!"  
  
The Angel looks curiously at the crying girl.  
  
"You are a strange one. You know what you want, yet you do nothing, even denying your wants."  
  
"Sometimes, you can't always get what you want," Rei manages to get out between sobs.  
  
  
  
Rei finds herself back in the entry plug of Unit 00. She turns her gaze towards the purple Eva.  
  
"I know what I have to do..."  
  
She closes her eyes and concentrates, not noticing the tears that fall from them.  
  
  
  
Shinji tries to escape from the Angel, but is backed against a building. He can only stand and watch as the Angel continues to draw closer to his Eva's head. Just as the Angel reaches Unit 01's head, it lets out a cry of shock and as pulled away from the Eva suddenly. Shinji quickly turns to follow the Angel. His gaze falls upon Unit 00.  
  
The Eva clutches its sides as it takes the Angel into its body. The armor around the lower chest shatters, revealing a darkened core. As the Angel is continually pulled in, the core crakes apart and quickly expands into a large, pink mass, almost the size of the Eva. Just as quickly as it expands, it shrinks back into the blue Eva's body, along with the rest of the Angel.  
  
Rei turns around in her entry plug and looks around the back of the seat. Her gaze falls upon a circular hole with a handle across its diameter. She grips the handle and pulls the tube outward.  
  
  
  
"My God!" exclaims Ritsuko.  
  
"What is it?"  
  
The blonde-haired scientist turns away from the console to face the Major.  
  
"Rei's about to activate the Eva's self-destruct!!"  
  
"What?!"  
  
Misato rushes over to the communications console and quickly opens a link with Unit 00. A window opens up, with the word 'Sound Only' across the center.  
  
"Rei, what do you think you are doing?!"  
  
"This is the only way, Major. I will maintain my AT Field to contain the Angel and the explosion."  
  
"But what about you? You can still eject the entry plug before the Eva explodes!"  
  
"I cannot do that. If I leave, then the AT Field will no longer be maintained."  
  
With those last words, the window disappears.  
  
"Major! The pilot has cut communications!" reports Maya.  
  
Misato remains silent and stares up at the main screen. Had there been video during the conversation, she would have seen the First Child trying to hold back the tears as she talked.  
  
  
  
Rei closes her eyes as she rotates the tube a quarter turn, and then re- inserts it. The lights in the entry plug instantly turn red. Along the side of the seat, the word 'Self-Destruct' flash on and off.  
  
"Rei!!"  
  
Rei turns around and finds a communication window from Unit 01.  
  
"Shinji-kun."  
  
"Rei! What are doing?! You have to get out of there!"  
  
Rei lowers her head, unable to look at Shinji.  
  
"I can't. As I told Misato, I have to maintain the AT Field."  
  
She looks up at the young pilot, tears falling down his face.  
  
"Tell Asuka that I was glad I could be her friend, and Shinji-kun...," Rei takes a deep breath of LCL before continuing, "I love you. Goodbye."  
  
Rei quickly ends the link and blacks out all communication. She leans back in her chair and closes her eyes.  
  
  
  
"REI!!"  
  
Shinji charges towards the blue Eva as he screams her name. As he runs, he sees Asuka's battered Eva off to his left.  
  
"Asuka!"  
  
He quickly turns to look at Unit 00, which begins to glow a bright white. Without a second thought, he dashes towards the red Eva and drives on top of it to protect it from the blast.  
  
Unit 00 glows brightly, and then explodes in a large ball of fire. The blast extends outwards, only to be contained by an AT Field. The shockwaves uplift trees and debris around the area, sending them flying into the air. As the dust settles, the only thing left of the mighty Eva is a large crater where it once stood.  
  
  
  
The command bridge is dead silent as the events unfold above them. Then, someone chose to break the silence.  
  
"REI!!"  
  
All eyes turn towards the origin of the scream. Above the bridge crew, Commander Gendo Ikari stands from his chair, his hands flat on his desk, supporting his weight, a look of dread in his eyes.  
  
  
  
Outside, Unit 01 rises from its position and turns towards where Unit 00 once stood. Shinji breaks down crying inside his entry plug, Rei's last words echoing through his head: 'I love you.' 


	21. Secrets

Chapter 21  
Secrets  
  
Dr. Ritsuko Akagi stands up from the log she was resting on. She looks around her, evidence of Unit 00's destruction scatter the landscape. Parts from the Eva litter the area around the blast crater, which had begun to fill with water shortly after it was made. Ritsuko lifts her left arm to wipe the sweat from her forehead, but encounters the glass helmet of her environmental suit instead. She silently curses the bulky suit.  
  
"Dr. Akagi!!"  
  
The head of Project E turns towards the voice and sees one of the recovery crew running towards her, arms waving in the air.  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"We found it!"  
  
She wastes no time and runs towards the crewman.  
  
"Where is it?"  
  
The crewman nods and leads the doctor back the way he came from. After a few minutes of maneuvering through debris, the pair comes upon the entry plug of Unit 00.  
  
The entry plug rests among several fallen trees, slightly bent in the center. Dents riddle its once smooth surface. A long crack along the front of the entry plug seeps LCL onto the ground below, forming a shallow pool.  
  
"Have you managed to get the access hatch open yet?"  
  
"We're working on it now."  
  
Ritsuko turns her attention to the pair of crewman struggling to open the entry plug's side hatch. With one final grunt, the two men manage to get the hatch open, LCL flowing out of the new opening.  
  
Ritsuko rushes past the crewman towards the open hatch. She places one foot inside the entry plug and leans in, looking up the plug. The crewmen stand and watch, nervous about the findings. After what seems like an eternity, she emerges from the hatch and turns towards the nervous men.  
  
"Get a stretcher over here ASAP!! All findings here are to remain confidential! You cannot tell anyone about the events here today!"  
  
"Yes, ma'am!" the men shout in unison.  
  
As one of the men run off to retrieve the stretcher, Ritsuko turns her gaze back towards the hatch, a worried look on her face.  
  
"WHAT?!"  
  
The sound of Misato's voice echoes throughout the apartment as she clutches the phone.  
  
"Where is...yeah...ok...I'm bringing him along...ok, bye."  
  
She tosses the phone back onto its base and charges into Shinji's room.  
  
"Shinji! Get up!"  
  
The young pilot groans at the rude awakening. He turns on his bed to face his guardian, removing the bud of his SDAT from his right ear.  
  
"What is it, Misato?" he asks groggily.  
  
"Get up, now! They found her!"  
  
His eyes widen in at the news as he bolts upright in his bed.  
  
"You mean...?"  
  
"Yes! Rei's alive!"  
  
Shinji is ecstatic and instantly hops out of bed, straightening up his dress shirt as he quickly follows after his guardian. The pair quickly departs, totally unaware that they were being watched by a pair of emerald- blue eyes from a crack in a certain doorway. As the door to the apartment slams shut, the onlooker slowly closes the door she is behind. The sound of sobbing fills the air, only to be heard by the resident penguin, who was sleeping at the moment.  
  
A young girl stirs in her bed, her body covered by a white sheet. An IV tube runs under the edge of the sheet into her arm. Several machines monitor her various functions, their beeping the only sounds in the room, besides her breathing. Another sound joins the mix, the sound of moaning. Rei shifts in her bed and slowly opens her eyes. She blinks as her eyes adjust and stares up at the ceiling.  
  
"I'm alive..."  
  
The blue-haired girl looks around the room, noting that she is in the infirmary. She shifts slightly, trying to assess her injuries. Her concentration is broken by the sound of the door opening. Curious, she averts her gaze towards the door, and finds herself looking at a rather shocked Shinji Ikari.  
  
"Shinji-k..."  
  
She is cut off as Shinji runs towards her, embracing her in a tight hug, tears freely falling from his eyes as he cries into her shoulder.  
  
"Rei! You're alive! You're alive..."  
  
At first, Rei is surprised by his actions. Then, she does that only thing she can do; she wraps her arms around the crying pilot. They remain comforted by each other for a few minutes, before Shinji slowly pulls away, wiping the tears from his eyes.  
  
"I-I'm glad you're ok, Rei."  
  
She smiles up at him. The two are caught off-guard as someone clears their throat, instantly catching their attention. Shinji turns around, eyeing Misato leaning in the doorway, whom he had totally forgotten about. Shinji and Rei blush madly, realizing that she had seen the entire scene. Shinji is the first to speak up.  
  
"M-Misato! It-it's not..."  
  
Misato chuckles at the two blushing teens and straightens up.  
  
"It's ok, Shinji-kun. I understand. And you don't have to worry, I won't tell anyone of your 'visit'."  
  
Both children look down, trying to hide their reddening faces from Misato.  
  
"So how are you feeling, Rei?" asks Misato.  
  
"Except for a headache, I feel fine Misato."  
  
"That's good to hear. Let's get going, Shinji-kun. She needs her rest."  
  
Shinji nods, walking towards the door. As he reaches the doorway, he turns around.  
  
"See you later, Rei."  
  
Rei nods, watching as Shinji leaves, both having a smile on their face. After the pair had left, Rei turns over on her side, slowly falling asleep. Her thoughts drift to the moment before her Eva self-destructed.  
  
Rei sits in the seat of the entry plug, tears falling from her eyes as she waits for her end.  
  
"Ayanami."  
  
She closes her eyes, ignoring the voice, believing it is the Angel again.  
  
"Ayanami, Rei."  
  
"The voice...is not the same as the Angel's," she thinks.  
  
Slowly, she opens her reddened eyes, looking around the entry plug. She almost jumps out of her seat as she spies a translucent, white figure in front of her.  
  
"Who, who are you?"  
  
The ghostly figure looks up, smiling at the frightened girl.  
  
"I forgot, you probably won't remember me from the first. I am Akagi, Akagi, Naoko."  
  
Rei thinks for a moment before responding.  
  
"You are Dr. Akagi's mother, are you not?"  
  
Naoko smiles at Rei, nodding in compliance.  
  
"You...killed the first and then took your own life."  
  
"Yes, I did. And I regret it all."  
  
"Then how are you here? You are supposed to be deceased."  
  
The elder Akagi chuckles and shakes her head.  
  
"True, but somehow my soul got trapped in the Eva after I had 'died'."  
  
Rei is about to respond, when she suddenly realizes something.  
  
"The self-destruct! It..."  
  
"It has been activated. We are in a place where time moves slower. That is why you are still alive, along with the Eva."  
  
The pilot sighs in relief.  
  
"So why are you communicating with me now?"  
  
Naoko's expression turns downcast as she looks at the wall of the entry plug.  
  
"I wish to make amends for what I did to yo...the first all those years ago."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"I had hated you because the Commander favored you over me. It was in anger that I took the life of the first."  
  
"You say you killed the 'first.' Why don't you say you killed 'me'?"  
  
Naoko smiles at her question.  
  
"That is because you are not the first. The first was only a puppet, a tool. You, you are different. You have emotions and make your own decisions. You are human, unique. What I killed before was not human. You are, and deserve, to live."  
  
"But I can be replaced."  
  
"True, but is that replacement 'you'? It will only become another puppet for the Commander. It won't be human, just a doll. That is why I am going to do this. Remember, you are unique. You cannot be replaced."  
  
Rei looks up at Naoko, nodding.  
  
"What about you?"  
  
"Once this Eva is destroyed, my soul will be freed."  
  
Naoko pauses for a moment.  
  
"It is time. Farewell, Rei. May you have a good life."  
  
She smiles before vanishing from the entry plug, returning Rei back to normal time. A familiar orange field surrounds Rei a split second before the Eva explodes. Right before Rei loses consciousness, she has one last thought.  
  
"Goodbye, Naoko, and thank you."  
  
A few days later, it is late afternoon at the Katsuragi residence. Misato resides in her room, finishing up some paperwork she had 'left aside for later.' Shinji and PenPen are relax on the couch, watching the television. Asuka is in her room chatting away with Hikari. Then, the doorbell rings.  
  
"Shinji-kun, can you get that?"  
  
Shinji sits up on the couch.  
  
"Sure, Misato."  
  
The young boy heads towards the door. He yawns, stretching out his back before opening the door.  
  
"Hel..."  
  
"Shinji-kun, who is it?"  
  
Misato waits a few moments. Receiving no reply, she stands up and heads out to investigate. She reaches the door, finding Shinji standing in front of it, his eyes staring straight in front of him and mouth hanging open.  
  
"Shinji?"  
  
Curious, she steps besides him and follows his gaze, only to also stare in utter shock at the person before them. Rei Ayanami stands in front of the door, looking curiously at the pair, a slightly blush on her face from being stared at. The young girl stands in the doorway not dressed in her usual school uniform, but casual clothes. She is dressed in sleeveless, light-blue blouse, a matching knee-length skirt, and a pair of sandals. PenPen decides to investigate and stands next to his owner. He pokes her leg with his flipper. Getting no response, he looks towards the door only to have his beak drop open as he gawks at Rei.  
  
Shinji is the first to recover.  
  
"Uh, hi Rei. You...look wonderful!"  
  
"Thank you," she meekly replies, the warmth in her cheeks increasing.  
  
"Um, would you like to come in?"  
  
"No, thank you. But, I would like to speak to you...in private."  
  
Misato blinks at the girl before getting the hint. She picks up the still- shocked PenPen and carries him inside, leaving the two children alone.  
  
"So, what did you want to talk about, Rei?"  
  
Rei hesitates before answering, trying to gather the right words.  
  
"There...is something I need to show you."  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"It is not here."  
  
"Oh. Hold on a second."  
  
Shinji dashes inside and grabs his cell phone and wallet from his room before zipping past Misato.  
  
"I'm going out, Misato!"  
  
"Ok."  
  
He meets back with Rei at the door, putting on his shoes before stepping outside.  
  
"Let's go."  
  
Rei nods and the pair head off. Inside, Misato waits until she is sure they would have had enough time to be a few blocks from the building. She quickly dresses in her usual work attire, but this time she checks her handgun, making sure that it was fully loaded before placing it in the holster under her jacket.  
  
"I'm going to work Asuka!"  
  
With that, she leaves the girl and penguin alone. The warm-water penguin makes its way through the hallway, planning on relaxing in a bathtub full of warm water. He pauses in front of Asuka's room, a soft noise catching his attention, but he just shrugs it off and heads into the bathroom. Inside of Asuka's room, the young girl lies on her bed, burying her face in her pillow as she cries.  
  
Rei leads Shinji through the maze of corridors in NERV, passing through several sealed doors with the help of Rei's ID card.  
  
"So what exactly are you going to show me, Rei?"  
  
"You shall see, soon."  
  
He watches the girl in front of him, slightly worried because she hadn't turned to face him since they had left. Eventually, the pair ends up in front of a large, locked door. Shinji glances at the security pad.  
  
"This requires top-level clearance! I don't think we can get in, Rei."  
  
Rei says nothing and sweeps her card through the reader and inputs a series of keys. The light above the pad changes from red to green and the doors begin to open.  
  
"What are you two doing here?!"  
  
The two turn around to face a visibly angry Ritsuko Akagi.  
  
"Rei, why is he here?" she says as she points at the frightened boy.  
  
"He has to know."  
  
"Out of the question! There is no way I will allow it!"  
  
"Allow what, Akagi?"  
  
Ritsuko tenses up as the cold barrel of a handgun is pressed into the back of her head.  
  
"Misato!" blurts out Shinji.  
  
"What are you doing here, Katsuragi?" spits out Ritsuko.  
  
"Let's just say I also want to see what's beyond that door."  
  
The doctor looks from Misato to the two pilots. She jams her hands into her lab coat pockets.  
  
"Well, let's get the tour started, shall we?" she responds coldly.  
  
Ritsuko steps through the open doors and into a waiting elevator.  
  
"You coming?"  
  
Misato, Rei, and Shinji step into the elevator. The doors close and they begin their descent into Central Dogma.  
  
The elevator stops after a dew minutes. Upon exiting the elevator, they encountered a large sea of LCL in a massive corridor.  
  
"Alright, everyone into the raft." orders the doctor.  
  
They all hop into the waiting rubber raft. Ritsuko starts up the motor and they are soon on their way. After a while, Shinji notices something in the distance. He squints his eyes in an attempt to get a better look. As the raft gets closer to the objects, their outlines become clearer, and soon are clearly visible to the small group. Shinji gasps and falls back, landing on his rear as he stares in shock at the objects.  
  
"What are those?" questions Misato with both curiosity and fear.  
  
Ritsuko glances up at the objects.  
  
"It's an Eva graveyard."  
  
Lining the path of the boat are dozens of Evangelion skeletons. Each is identical, having it head covered by orange armor, like that of Unit 00. A large spine extends downward from each of the heads, the ends submerged in the LCL. The darkness makes it seem like the skeletons are floating in the air, their single eyes gazing down at the small raft below.  
  
Misato stares at the skeletons for a moment before turning her attention to the raft's occupants. Shinji was still sitting near the edge of the raft, gazing at the skeletons as the raft passed them. Ritsuko was staring straight ahead with a neutral look on her face. As she turns her attention to Rei, she tries to prevent her eyes from falling out of her head. She was leaning against the opposite edge of the raft with her head propped up by her right hand. Rei, the girl that showed no emotions, was sitting with a very downcast and worried look on her face.  
  
"Why would she be worried about all of this?" Misato wondered.  
  
"We're here"  
  
Misato's train of thought is broken as Ritsuko brings the raft to a halt next to a landing. The four quickly disembark and follow the doctor. They stop in front of a metal door. Misato glances at Rei, to find her with a worried and fearful expression on her face.  
  
"What could be behind that door that would frighten her?" wonders Misato.  
  
Ritsuko swipes her card through the reader next to the door and enters a password into the same pad. The light above it changes from red to green and a slight click is heard from the door.  
  
The group enters the chamber beyond the metallic door. Ritsuko is the last in and shuts it behind her. As their eyes adjust to the dimly lit room, a few objects come into focus. Misato and Shinji look around the room while Rei leans against the wall next to the door, staring at the ground. Noticing the few items in the room, Shinji can't help but feel as if he's been here before. Ritsuko turns to face Shinji.  
  
"Look familiar, Shinji?"  
  
Then, it hits Shinji.  
  
"This looks like Rei's room."  
  
"That's because it is."  
  
Shinji glances at Rei, then to Ritsuko.  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"This is where she was born and raised."  
  
Puzzled, Shinji turns to Rei in hopes she can help him, but Ritsuko interrupts him.  
  
"Come, we still have more to see."  
  
Ritsuko leaves through a door opposite of the one they entered. The others follow her, first Misato, then Rei, and finally Shinji. As they continue down a corridor, Shinji can't help but watch Rei.  
  
"What does she mean by she was 'born and raised' there?" he wonders.  
  
The group stops in what appears to be an old test area. Several computer terminals line the room, all covered in a thick layer of dust. Just beyond the terminals is a large, glass window that oversees an empty cage.  
  
"Remember this place, Shinji? You were right over there when it happened ten years ago."  
  
Ritsuko points towards the large glass window.  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"This was where it was tested, an Eva; where your mother disappeared."  
  
Shinji stares at the doctor in shock. He slowly approaches the glass and runs his hands along its surface. Images rush back to him, from that time long ago...  
  
"Mother!"  
  
Yui Ikari, dressed in a plug suit, looks up from the entry plug hatch and waves at her son. A four-year old Shinji smiles and waves back cheerfully, returning his hands to their places on the glass. Behind him, the technicians stand by at their consoles for the activation test. Gendo, Kouzo, and Naoko watch from behind the rows of computers.  
  
The tests start, and young Shinji looks on at the Eva before him. Suddenly, the room is filled with shouts of panic and sirens. All is just a mumble of words to the young Ikari. He can only make out certain things, like '400% sync ratio,' 'losing her,' and 'vanished.' Shinji just turns his attention back to the place where is mother had disappeared to, not knowing that she would never return.  
  
Shinji falls to his knees, his hands still pressed against the glass as he silently cries.  
  
"Mother..."  
  
Misato looks sadly upon the crying boy. She kneels down next to him and places a hand comfortingly on his shaking shoulders.  
  
"Shinji-kun..."  
  
"It's time to move on."  
  
Misato jerks her head towards the speaker.  
  
"But, Ritsuko..."  
  
"It's ok."  
  
Misato turns to face Shinji, who was looking up at her, his eyes red.  
  
"I'm ok now."  
  
Misato is about to protest, but nods in compliance. The pair stands up and follows the blonde woman. Rei straightens up and follows the trio through the other door and deeper into NERV. They eventually end up in a large, circular room. In the center is a large, clear tube filled with an orange liquid, apparently LCL, with a large network of wires and tubes connected to it directly above.  
  
"Where are we Ritsuko?" questions Misato.  
  
"We are at the heart of the Dummy Plug System. This is where it was all created." She pauses for a moment, glancing over at Rei before continuing. "And where she was created."  
  
The pair turns to face the albino girl in question.  
  
"Rei? What does she mean by that?" asks a confused Shinji.  
  
Rei averts her gaze, not answering him. Shinji walks up to her and places a hand on her shoulder.  
  
"Rei, you know you can tell me anything."  
  
She looks at Shinji, gazing into his worried eyes.  
  
"Shinji-kun...I..."  
  
"Maybe it would be better if we showed him."  
  
Ritsuko reaches into her lab coat pocket and pulls out a small, handheld device and presses a button. The sounds of mechanical motors start to echo throughout the room.  
  
"What did you do Ritsuko?" demands Misato as she aims her gun at the doctor.  
  
"You'll see," she replies with a smirk.  
  
The metal walls around them slowly rise up into the ceiling above, exposing a layer of glass. The walls stop moving and lights activate within the new glass walls. The area behind the glass glows a deep orange, like the tube in the center of the room. Within the LCL float countless naked Reis.  
  
Shinji stares in shock, almost falling to the floor. Misato gasps and reinforces the grip on her gun.  
  
"What the HELL is this, Ritsuko?!"  
  
"This is what you wanted to see, wasn't it, Misato? The facility for making the Dummy Plugs is right here. As well as some spare parts."  
  
"What do you mean 'spare parts'?"  
  
"These are all spare parts for Rei. You see, she's not like us. She wasn't 'born.' Rather, she was 'created.' In a nutshell, she's a clone."  
  
"A clone? A clone of what? Does that mean these are all Rei?"  
  
"These are just empty shells, vessels for containing a soul. All of them are empty, waiting for a soul to be infused into them. When the one containing the soul dies, the soul is transferred to another vessel. In this sense, Rei can't die. As for what she is, she's a clone of your mother, Shinji, and Lilith."  
  
Shinji turns towards the girl, his mouth agape.  
  
"That explains why she reminds me so much of mother and why she used to say that she could 'just be replaced,'" he thinks.  
  
"Lilith?" questions the Major.  
  
"The giant being that you saw before, hanging on the red cross."  
  
"I thought that that was Adam!"  
  
"No, Adam is somewhere else."  
  
Ritsuko turns her attention back to the clones before her.  
  
"These things have caused me nothing but trouble. Now I shall put an end to all of this..."  
  
She enters a series of commands into her remote. Just before she hits the final key, a white hand stops her.  
  
"I cannot allow you to do this."  
  
"You can't stop me, Rei. I will destroy them all."  
  
"I know, but I wish to be the one to end it."  
  
Ritsuko looks at Rei with a shocked expression.  
  
"As long as they exist, I will never be an individual. I am I. They are not me and never will be."  
  
"Why do want to do this?" she questions suspiciously.  
  
Rei pauses for a second, recalling her encounter in the Unit 00's entry plug.  
  
"A friend helped me to realize all of this."  
  
Ritsuko looks intently on the young girl, wondering if it is a trick to stop her, but all her doubts are put aside as she looks into her eyes. The two onlookers watch the pair, having heard the entire conversation. The two watch as Ritsuko lowers her hand with the remote, allowing Rei to place her hand next to hers on the button. Both turn their gaze to the clones.  
  
"I am not a doll."  
  
With those words, Ritsuko and Rei press the button, causing a red light to flood the LCL tank. All around them, the giggling clones start to dissolve, pieces of them falling off and slowly sinking to the bottom of the tank. Rei turns towards Shinji, who is still staring at the dissolving clones. She slowly approaches him.  
  
"Shinji-kun..."  
  
Shinji breaks his gaze and turns to face Rei. She stops a few feet in front of him and lowers her head.  
  
"I...I can understand if you never want to see or speak to me again, now that you know what I really am..."  
  
Rei closes her eyes, tears slowly falling to the cold, metal floor below. She opens her eyes as a warm hand gently lifts her head up. Shinji stands before her, a smile on his face.  
  
"Yes, I know what you are. You are human, Rei. You are unique."  
  
"And his sister."  
  
The pair turn their attention to Ritsuko, who was standing next to Misato with a smile on her face.  
  
"Being that Rei's made up of your mother's DNA, it is likely to say that she is your half-sister."  
  
The pair stare at the doctor and the smiling Major before looking at each other.  
  
"I...guess she's right, Rei."  
  
"It would seem so...oniichan."  
  
Shinji smiles at his sister.  
  
"How 'bout we get out of here?"  
  
Rei nods in reply and the siblings start towards the door, with the two women trailing behind them.  
  
Misato and Shinji kick off their shoes as they enter their apartment.  
  
"Asuka-chan, we're back!" announces Shinji.  
  
PenPen makes his way towards his roommates and waves his flippers at them. Misato squats down and picks up the warm water penguin.  
  
"Happy to see us, I see."  
  
"Wark!"  
  
Shinji walks into the living room and looks around.  
  
"Wonder if she's sleeping?" he wonders.  
  
He makes his way towards her door and lightly knocks on it.  
  
"Asuka-chan? Are you in there?"  
  
Getting no response, he knocks again.  
  
"Asuka-chan?"  
  
Worried, he slowly opens the door and peeks inside.  
  
"Shinji-kun?"  
  
"She's not in her room...?" he absentmindedly whispers.  
  
Misato smiles at the young pilot.  
  
"Maybe she went out or met her friends."  
  
"Yeah, but I just have this bad feeling."  
  
"I know! I'll check with Section 2."  
  
"Would you, Misato?"  
  
Misato places PenPen down and picks up the phone and calls up Section 2.  
  
"Yes, this is Katsuragi. I would like to know the location of the Second Child....What?! Are you sure?...When?...OK...yeah....bye."  
  
She hangs up and phone, and turns towards Shinji.  
  
"Misato? What is it? Where is she?" he questions nervously.  
  
"They said she left about an hour after us. They lost track of her shortly after that. They don't know where she is."  
  
Before Misato could say another word, Shinji darts to the door, puts on his shoes, and runs out of the door. Misato heads to the door and watches as he disappears around the corner.  
  
"Shinji-kun..."  
  
The sound of thunder echoes through the darkening sky. A flash of lightening soon follows it. The ominous clouds start to dump their contents upon the city. In the heavy rain and darkness, a lone figure runs through the streets, shouting a single name.  
  
"Asuka-chan!!" 


	22. Discoveries

Chapter 22  
  
Major Misato Katsuragi, the Operations Director for NERV, sleeps soundly at her deck in NERV HQ. Her arms support her head as a make-shift pillow and she lightly snores.  
  
"Misato."  
  
The Major shifts slightly on her hands, but makes no move towards waking up.  
  
"Misato."  
  
Misato mumbles something about beer and a drinking contest with Penpen before shifting her position.  
  
"MISATO!!"  
  
Her eyes bolt open as she brings herself to an upright position in her chair. Unfortunately, she does it too quickly and ends up falling out of the chair and onto the floor. Moaning, she grasps the edge of her deck and pulls herself up. As her eyes come into focus, she sees her friend, Ritsuko Akagi, standing in front of her deck, covering her mouth, giggling.  
  
"Not funny, Ritsu," scolds the visibly irritated Major.  
  
"Sorry. So, been having it rough at home?"  
  
By this time, Misato had managed to get back into her chair and was leaning on her desk, her head propped up by her right arm.  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"How's Shinji been doing?"  
  
"He's been up almost every waking moment out searching for her. It's been two days and he's only slept a few hours."  
  
Ritsuko pulls up a chair and sits in front of the desk.  
  
"I guess Section 2 hasn't come with anything yet?"  
  
"Not a thing. And this was their JOB!" exclaims the ecstatic Major.  
  
The doctor leans back in her chair and observes the ceiling above her.  
  
"So what do you think Shinji's doing right now?"  
  
Misato sighs and slumps forward in her chair.  
  
"He's most likely searching all over Tokyo 3 for her."  
  
A few clouds lingered in the afternoon sky above the fortress city. The once busy streets are deathly quiet. Most of the residents had moved out of the city after the destruction of Unit 00. The group also included all of Shinji's friends, who were most likely in school in Tokyo 2 at that very moment.  
  
Through the desolate streets, Shinji Ikari meticulously searches every house and alley for his love, Asuka Langley Sohryu. A lot of the houses in the section he is in are shadows of their formers selves. Some were just completely obliterated by the force of the explosion when Unit 00 self- destructed.  
  
"Asuka-chan! Where are you?!" shouts the young pilot.  
  
He pushes on, continuing down a residential road that was near the explosion's epicenter. After several hours of checking each house, he continues on to the next set of houses. By the time he had finishes searching the third house, it was dusk. This did not damper Shinji's efforts at all. He continues to search into the night, and into the morning.  
  
By noon, he had searched dozens of houses with no avail. Exhausted, Shinji walks towards the lake formed by Unit 00's self-destruct. He sighs and sits down on a nearby rock and stares out into the calm waters. Only then does he notice the soft sound of humming in the air. He instantly recognizes it as "Ode to Joy," which was on his SDAT tape. Looking up, he spies a boy, around his age, sitting a few feet to his left atop of a rock.  
  
"Music is wonderful, isn't it? It's one of man's greatest creations," says the boy.  
  
The boy turns and smiles at the young Ikari. Shinji can see that he is dressed similarly to him, in school attire. What caught his attention was the boy's gray hair, and then his red eyes when he looked at him.  
  
"Yes, it is," meekly replies Shinji.  
  
"It is nice to meet you, Ikari, Shinji."  
  
Shinji blinks and stares up at the boy.  
  
"How do you know my name?"  
  
"Everyone knows the famous pilot of Evangelion Unit 01," he says with a smile.  
  
The young pilot couldn't help but blush slightly at the mark of praise.  
  
"Yeah, but I couldn't have done it without my friends."  
  
"Ah, friends."  
  
"So, who are you? You know me, but I don't know you."  
  
The boy chuckles and shifts his position to face Shinji.  
  
"I'm Kaworu. Nagisa, Kaworu."  
  
"It's nice to meet you, Nagisa-san."  
  
Kaworu hops down off of his perch and places his hands in his pockets.  
  
"Please, call me Kaworu," he says with a smile.  
  
"OK, Kaworu."  
  
"So, what brings you out here, Ikari-san?"  
  
"Just Shinji is fine."  
  
"OK, Shinji. So why are you here?"  
  
Shinji gazes up at the blue sky for a moment, deep in thought.  
  
"I'm looking for someone."  
  
"Ah, I see. This 'someone' must be very special to you."  
  
A blush forms on Shinji's face as he sheepishly looks away.  
  
"Yes, she is. She is very special to me."  
  
"I should let you continue your search, then. I hope you find her, Shinji."  
  
Shinji nods and heads off to continue his search, waving as he leaves the mysterious boy. Kaworu watches as he disappears into a distant street.  
  
"'Till we meet again, Shinji Ikari."  
  
Kaworu turns and leisurely walks in the direction opposite of Shinji, his hands still in his pockets. The soft humming of "Ode to Joy" permeates the cool, noon air once again.  
  
A few hours after Shinji's encounter with Kaworu, he had just completed his search of another street to no avail.  
  
"I will not give up. I will find her, no matter what!" he mentally shouts to himself, urging himself forward.  
  
Physically and mentally exhausted, he pushes himself to continue on. He enters the next house and begins his search. By the time he finishes searching the first floor, he was exhausted and sat down at the base of the stairs.  
  
"I won't.give up."  
  
He grips the rail and pulls himself to his feet. Using it to support some of his weight, he slowly makes his way up the flight of stairs. Once at the top, his legs give out again and he collapses onto the floor. He releases the rail and props himself up against the wall and closes his eyes.  
  
A few minutes pass before Shinji notices something. He concentrates on the noise, trying to block out everything else around him. His eyes bolt open as he realizes that the noise is a voice. A female voice. With a new burst of energy, he stands up and runs down the hall towards the source of the voice. He ends up in front of a partially ajar door. Cautiously, he opens the door and peers inside. At the same time, he can feel his heart racing inside of his chest, his hope growing.  
  
The first thing he sees is what was a white bathtub at the end of the room. As he peers in more, he can see that the roof above the bathroom is missing. His gaze continues down to the other end of the tub. His heart almost leapt out of his chest at what he saw. Sitting in the tub, with her back resting against its edge and bent showerhead above, was Asuka.  
  
Shinji dashes into the room and falls to his knees by her side. He fails to notice her clothes folded neatly besides the tub on a wooden chair.  
  
"Asuka-chan!"  
  
The young girl pays no heed to Shinji as she continues to stare up at the sky above, mumbling the same phrases over and over again.  
  
"Sync-ratio zero. Unable to pilot."  
  
Shinji grabs her shoulders and lightly shakes his limbs form.  
  
"Asuka-chan! It's me, Shinji! Say something!"  
  
Her eyes remain fixed staring up at the sky, repeating the same phrases over and over. Coming back to his senses, Shinji digs into his pocket and pulls out his cell phone and dials.  
  
"Misato-san! I found Asuka!...Yes, and you had better get a medical team over here.OK.I'll leave my phone on. Please, hurry!"  
  
He hangs up and phone, mentally thanking NERV for installing tracking devices in their cell phones. He turns his attention back to the zoned-out Asuka. Acting on instinct, he reaches into the murky water and slowly pulls her out of the tub, bracing her legs with his left arm under her knees and her back with his right. As he struggles to get her out, he uses all his willpower to not look upon her naked body.  
  
After a few minutes, Shinji manages to pull her out of the tub. He lowers himself to the floor and gently rests Asuka on his lap, allowing her to lean against his chest. Eyeing her blouse on the chair, he reaches out and snatches it, wrapping it around her bare top. The water on her body soaks the blouse completely, making the material almost transparent. Careful not to let go of her, Shinji fumbles with his shirt and pulls it off, placing it over the wet blouse.  
  
A chilly breeze silently howls through the open-air bathroom. Asuka unconsciously shivers as it chills her wet body. Shinji wraps his arms protectively around her, pulling her close against his bare chest. Unnoticed by Shinji, Asuka's ramblings had stopped. Silence endures for what seemed like an eternity. Then, the soft padding of footsteps echoes through the building. Shinji turns his head to face the door and shouts, trying to lead them to him. He is awarded as four paramedics, each brandishing the NERV logo on their shoulders, burst through the door carrying a stretcher and several pieces of equipment.  
  
The paramedics gently move Asuka from Shinji and onto the waiting stretcher. Shinji sits and watches as they insert an IV into her left arm. Seconds later, Misato enters the room and rushes to Shinji's side.  
  
"Misato-san," whispers Shinji as he looks up at her.  
  
She kneels next to him and takes his hand into hers.  
  
"It's OK, Shinji. She'll be alright."  
  
He slowly nods in reply. Suddenly, his vision starts to blur. He hears Misato cry his name, then all is black.  
  
A figure groans and slowly opens his eyes. Shinji finds that he is lying down in bed in the infirmary. He stares up at the white ceiling and its single light fixture.  
  
"Familiar ceiling," he mumbles.  
  
He closes his eyes and relaxes. Less than a second passes before a single thought enters his mind: Asuka. Instantly, he bolts up and out of the bed, almost falling onto the floor in the process. The Third Child runs through the door and collides with something. He lands in his rear and looks up to see Rei in front of him in a similar position.  
  
"Oh, I'm sorry Rei!" he apologizes as he helps her to her feet.  
  
Rei straightens out her skirt and brushes off her back.  
  
"It is alright."  
  
"Rei, do you know where Asuka is?"  
  
She thinks for a moment before answering.  
  
"She was placed in room 303 when she arrived yesterday."  
  
"Thank you!" he says as he speeds past her.  
  
"Oniichan.."  
  
Shinji stops and turns around.  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"Don't you think you should put some clothes on?" she replies with a slight blush in her cheeks.  
  
Only then did Shinji realize that he was clad only in a hospital gown that didn't do a good job of covering up his body, especially his back. With a yelp, Shinji tries his best to cover up his exposed parts and darts back into his room to change. After he had disappeared into his room, Rei shakes her head and continues on her way.  
  
After he had put on some appropriate clothing, Shinji made his way towards room 303. He pauses in front of the door and stares at the plate on the door. The numbers '303' were etched in a brass plate in a large, black font. Just below it, in a smaller front, was a removable label with 'Soyru, Asuka L.'  
  
Taking a deep breath, Shinji grips the cold door handle and opens the door. He steps inside and silently closes the door behind him. The room is silent, except for the soft humming and beeping of the hospital equipment. Just beyond the door, atop of a white bed, lies Asuka. A clean sheet covers her body, leaving just her head and the tops of her shoulders exposed. A light-blue hospital gown covers her exposed shoulders, similar to the one Shinji was wearing not too long ago. Several wires and an IV tube run from the machines and under the blanket. As Shinji stands there, he struggles to keep himself from running to her side and taking her into his arms.  
  
Shinji gradually makes his way to her bedside. He spots a chair to the right of the bed and repositions it next to the bed and sits on it. Hesitantly, he reaches up with his right hand and places it atop of hers. Unable to hold it back anymore, the young pilot burst into tears, holding his love's hand gently between his own. His shoulders shudder as the tears freely flow.  
  
Time passes slowly for him. He eventually manages to regain some of his composure and hold back the tears. Using his arm, Shinji wipes away the remaining tears and looks down at Asuka's sleeping form. He reaches up and brushes some stray hairs from her face and lightly kisses her forehead. A small smile forms on his face as he sits back down and watches her sleeping form.  
  
A yawn escapes his mouth as he continues to watch over her. His eyes start to grow heavier and is soon unable to keep them open. Using his arms as a makeshift pillow, he rests his head on the side of the bed and is soon fast asleep. Unaware to either pilot, a pair of red eyes had been watching them closely for the entire time.  
  
The next day, Shinji found himself back in the pilot locker rooms, changing into an all too familiar plug suit.  
  
"Why did she have to schedule Sync Tests for today?" he mumbles.  
  
He instinctively presses the button on his wrist, sealing the body- conforming suit. A moment of silence passes and then is broken by the sound of the locker room door opening. Shinji looks up and stares in shock at what he finds.  
  
"K-Kaworu?!"  
  
The silver-haired boy stands in the doorway, a light smile on his face.  
  
"I said we would meet again, Ikari, Shinji."  
  
Shinji had managed to regain some of his composure, as well as to close his mouth.  
  
"What are you doing here?"  
  
Kaworu merely smiles at the semi-shocked pilot.  
  
"I'm the Fifth Child." 


	23. Deceit and Retribution

Chapter 23  
Deceit and Retribution  
  
"Lower plug depth by 0.3," orders Ritsuko.  
  
"Lowering plug depth."  
  
Misato, Ritsuko, and several techs hunch over the consoles in the control center. In front of them, beyond the glass window, the three pilots sit in the simulation entry plugs. Data constantly fills the various computers with data from the ongoing sync tests.  
  
Above the consoles, three screen hang from the ceiling, each showing the inside of a different plug. The left screen shows Rei, her eyes closed and body relaxed as she concentrates on the testing. Next to her screen is Shinji's. He sits in the plug, his face scrunched up slightly as he concentrates his thoughts. At the end is the visual of Kaworu Nagisa, the Fifth Children. Unlike the other two, he seems almost peaceful in the LCL filled plug. He continues to hold the same, pleasant smile he had been wearing since the beginning of the tests.  
  
"Maya, what's the status of the Fifth Children?" asks the doctor as she takes a sip of her coffee.  
  
The young lieutenant doesn't respond, drawing Ritsuko's attention to her.  
  
"Maya, the status of the Fifth Children please?" she asks again, but still receives no response.  
  
Realizing that she probably won't receive an answer, she walks over to her assistant's console and reads the results herself.  
  
"Hey, Ritsuko. How's the Fifth Children doing?" asks Misato as she stares up at the monitors.  
  
Receiving no response from the doctor, she looks in her direction. Ritsuko was leaning over Maya's console, apparently reading the data. Not being the patient type, Misato walks over to the console and read the results herself.  
  
"100%?!" shouts the Major.  
  
Her outburst draws the attention of the staff on hand as well as snaps Ritsuko and Maya out of their trances.  
  
"How is that possible, Ritsuko?"  
  
"I don't know. What does the MAGI have to say about this, Maya?"  
  
"According to the MAGI, this data is 99.98% accurate."  
  
Ritsuko stands up and thinks for a moment, her gaze fixed on the monitors above.  
  
"After the tests, I want a full diagnostic run on the MAGI."  
  
Groans echo throughout the room from the techs. They all knew that it would mean long hours pouring over large amounts of data and possibility no sleep for any of them that evening.  
  
Another hour passes with Ritsuko constantly checking on the data of the Fifth Children. Misato opens up a communication channel to the three test plugs.  
  
"Okay you three. The tests are done for the day."  
  
The three pilots nod in reply and prepare to exit the plugs.  
  
In the men's locker room, Shinji and Kaworu finished dressing after washing off the LCL from their bodies.  
  
"Why do you pilot, Shinji-kun?" questions the grey-haired boy.  
  
Shinji looks up from tying his shoes, caught off guard by the question.  
  
"I pilot, well, I pilot to protect the ones that I love."  
  
"Ah, I see. But what of those who you don't love? You protect them even though you don't intend to."  
  
The Third Children ponders the question for a moment, thoughts of the one person he despised materializing.  
  
"I guess.everyone deserves a chance at life."  
  
Kaworu chuckles as he finishes tying his shoes.  
  
"You are a very interesting person, Ikari, Shinji."  
  
Slightly confused at the remark, Shinji looks at the Fifth Children curiously.  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"You say you pilot to protect those that you love, yet in doing you protect those you hate. Your reason for this is because everyone deserves a chance at life. It would appear that you, without knowing it, care about everyone. Though others hurt you, you can't bring it upon yourself to hope for their demise."  
  
Shinji reflects on the other pilot's words for a moment, trying to find the meaning behind them.  
  
"I.guess so. I guess I do care about everyone."  
  
"You are a good person, Shinji-kun. Remember that," he says with a smile.  
  
The pair leave the room, each heading in their own destination. Shinji made his way to the hospital to be with Asuka for as long as he could while Kaworu made his way around the corner.  
  
A few minutes passed before Rei emerged from the locker room. As she turns the corner, he sees Kaworu leaning against the wall.  
  
"Nagisa-san," she says.  
  
Kaworu straightens up and walks towards the albino girl.  
  
"Kaworu is fine."  
  
"What do you want, Kaworu?" she quickly asks.  
  
"I was hoping to see you before you left for your home," he replies with his usual smile.  
  
Rei stands in place, feeling the heat rising on her cheeks.  
  
"We are so much alike, aren't we?"  
  
"What do you mean?" she asks, slightly confused.  
  
The boy merely smiles.  
  
"You shall see soon enough. It was a pleasure to meet you."  
  
He takes her right hand in his own and kisses the back of her hand before walking off. The tune of 'Ode to Joy' echoes through the metal halls. Rei remains in her spot, staring at her hand.  
  
"What is this feeling?" she wonders as she heads home.  
  
The next day, life goes on as usual for the employees of NERV. In the hospital, the nurses were all heading to check out, their shifts finished for the day. All the halls were empty, like a ghost town. A figure heads down one of these halls. As it makes it way to its destination, not a single sound is heard because its feet were floating half a foot off the ground. It stops in front of a room and the door slides open, as if it was expecting the visitor. The figure floats in and the door shuts close. It would be another ten minutes until the next shift of nurses arrived. So, there was no one around to notice the bright light emanating from room 303 in the Cranial Ward.  
  
Later in Central Dogma, the bridge crew sits relaxing in their chairs. Maya continues to analyze the data from the sync tests from the day before. Makoto chuckles lightly as he reads through the manga he had purchased on the way to work that day. Next to him, Shigeru hums a tune as he plays it on his air guitar.  
  
In Cage 6, Kaworu stands on the catwalk in front of Unit 02. He sticks his hands in his pocket and gazes at the red giant.  
  
"It is time."  
  
The four eyes of the Eva shine brightly as it activates.  
  
"Angel detected!" shouts Makoto as he shows his manga into the drawer next to him.  
  
Misato dashes onto the bridge, straightening up her red jacket as she goes.  
  
"Where is it?"  
  
Shigeru franticly enters commands into his console.  
  
"It's descending towards Terminal Dogma with Unit 02!"  
  
"What?! The Eva's active?" quickly asks the Major.  
  
"The entry plug is not inserted. It's moving on its own," replies Maya.  
  
"It must be the Angel," muses Misato.  
  
Just then, the main screen flickers to live, showing a live feed from the tunnel leading to Terminal Dogma. The form of Unit 02 is easily scene floating down. In front of the Eva, a smaller figure floats at the same speed.  
  
"My God. The Angel is.," shakily says Misato.  
  
".is the Fifth Children," finishes Makoto.  
  
"It is no longer the Fifth Children. It is now the target," comes the commanding voice of Gendo from his station above the bridge.  
  
The entire bridge freezes at the sound of his voice, but quickly resume their work.  
  
"Prepare to send Unit 01 after the 'target'," orders Misato, putting emphasis on the word 'target.'  
  
In the corridor leading to Cage 7, Shinji runs towards his Eva already dressed in his white plugsuit.  
  
"Why, Kaworu? Why did you have to become the enemy?" he ponders.  
  
He rushes through the electronic door and into the holding cage. As he runs, he looks up from the floor and nearly stumbles as stops suddenly. He remains frozen in place, his mouth hanging open in shock.  
  
Back at Terminal Dogma, the crew works franticly to stop the Angel.  
  
"Shut all hatches! Physically seal off Terminal Dogma!" commands Misato.  
  
With a series of commands, reinforced hatches close all routes that lead to the depths of NERV. An explosion ripples through the tunnel as the reinforced hatch below the descending Angel and Unit 02 is completely destroyed by a large explosion.  
  
"Target is still descending!" reports Shigeru.  
  
"Unit 01 is ready for launch!" quickly announces Maya.  
  
"Alright, open a route to the target and launch Unit 01."  
  
The crew focuses their attention on Unit 01 as it makes its descent towards the Angel.  
  
"I'm reading abnormalities in Unit 01," reports Makoto.  
  
"What? Get me a visual of the entry plug," curiously orders Misato.  
  
A secondary screen flickers to life, showing a live feed from the entry plug of Unit 01. Everyone who saw the feed went speechless.  
  
As Unit 01 closed in on the target, Shinji fidgets in the seat of the entry plug.  
  
"You didn't have to come, you know." he says.  
  
Sitting sideways on his lap, Asuka crosses her arms and glares at the Third Children.  
  
"What are you talking about? Of course I had to come! That Angel just stole my precious Unit 02. I'm not going to let it get away with that!" she sternly replies.  
  
Shinji sighs and checks his location on the screen next to him.  
  
"At least I didn't have to wear that plugsuit again," he thinks as he looks at the red plugsuit Asuka was currently dressed in, recalling the time he had to wear it during the battle with the 6th Angel.  
  
A communicatios window materializes in the plug, sowing the face of a very angry Misato.  
  
"Asuka! What are doing?!" she practically shouts.  
  
"Geez. I just get out of a coma and this is what I get?" she mockingly replies.  
  
"That's besides the point!"  
  
"You really don't expect me to just sit on the sidelines as some Angel takes my Unit 02, do you?"  
  
"It shouldn't matt.argh! Never mind! You're approaching the target."  
  
The window disappears from the entry plug. Directly below the purple Eva, the two pilots can see the red form of Unit 02 below them as well as the Angel. As if sensing them, the red Eva turns and grabs onto the intruder. The two giants wrestle for dominance as they continue their descent.  
  
Unit 02 draws its Progressive Knife and prepares to stab the purple Eva. Shinji quickly draws his own Progressive Knife and blocks the attack. Taking advantage of the situation, Shinji wills his Eva to attack, but the attack is deflected. The red Eva pushes the other knife towards the Angel, only to encounter an AT Field. Inside the Eva, Shinji stares in disbelief at the orange field.  
  
"Ah, the AT Field," remarks Kaworu, "as you Lillum call it. The 'Barrier of Souls' is most interesting, isn't it?"  
  
"Would you just shut up!" shouts Asuka through the external speakers.  
  
"So, you came along, Souryu-san. It is nice to see you again."  
  
Asuka blinks in surprise and glares at the Angel.  
  
"What are you talking about? I've never seen you before in my life!"  
  
"True, you haven't seen me when you were awake. Perhaps.a dream?"  
  
The place is shrouded in darkness. Where the darkness begins and where it ends cannot be seen. Sitting hugging her legs against her chest, Asuka sits alone in the darkness. If it wasn't for the fact that she could feel the ground beneath her, she wouldn't know it was there. She remains in place, unmoving. The only sound in the place of darkness is her own breathing.  
  
"Asuka.," comes a voice from somewhere in the void.  
  
Asuka buries her head further into her knees, trying to block out the unknown voice.  
  
"Leave me alone!" she shouts.  
  
"Asuka.," repeats the voice.  
  
Just as she is about to shout again, something strikes her.  
  
"The voice.it's different somehow.," she thinks.  
  
The young red-head looks up and around the void.  
  
"Who are you?"  
  
A few meters in front of her, a figure materializes from the darkness. Straining her eyes, she can see that it is a boy, about her age, wearing the all-to-familiar school uniform.  
  
"I am a friend, Souryu-san," he replies.  
  
She is about to say something, but stops as a single thought enters her mind.  
  
"Do not worry, I am not here to hurt you or do any harm," he quickly says, as if reading her mind.  
  
"Are you.an Angel?" asks Asuka with a combination of fear and nervousness.  
  
"Do I look like one to you?" he asks as he steps forward.  
  
Asuka can now clearly make out the stranger. He looks built like Shinji, but with silvery-grey hair that looks unkempt. The one thing that caught her attention was his eyes. They were blood red, almost exactly like Rei's.  
  
"No, you don't. But who are you and why are you here?"  
  
The boy merely smiles.  
  
"You can call me 'Tabris' for now. As for my presence here, well, let's just say I'm here to help out a friend."  
  
Asuka stares at Tabris for a moment before turning around.  
  
"I don't need anyone's help," she sharply remarks.  
  
"I'm not doing this for you, but for a friend of mine," he says as he walks up to Asuka and stands next to her.  
  
"Just leave me alone."  
  
"Even if I did leave, you would not be alone."  
  
"What are you talking about?" she asks slightly agitated.  
  
"Look up."  
  
Asuka looks up and gasps as the darkness in front of her twists and distorts. Colors start to appear and overtake the darkness. The colors start to form images almost like a screen. After a few second, it settles down and Asuka instantly makes out the image.  
  
"This is what is happening right now."  
  
She stares at image displayed in front of her and recognizes it as one the NERV hospital rooms. Lying on the bed, she can see herself with several pieces of equipment hooked up to her body. The thing that catches her eye is a hunched figure sitting next to bed, gently holding her hand.  
  
"Shinji."  
  
"He has been by your side ever since he found you in that abandoned house."  
  
Her head whips around and turns towards Tabris.  
  
"He.he found me?"  
  
"Yes, he searched for several days without stopping. After he found you and the NERV paramedics took you away, he passed out from exhaustion."  
  
Tears start to well up in her eyes as she listens to Tabris describe the events.  
  
"But I can't go back, not after what I did. I'm worthless.," she whispers as she tries to fight back the tears.  
  
"Shinji is a very special person. His love for you is very strong. It is you who gives him something to fight for."  
  
"But I'm weak now! He can't love me," she struggles to say as the tears flow freely.  
  
"He will love you no matter what happens. I know this because I have seen his heart. He cares for everyone, regardless of who they are or what they do to him. Right now, he needs you to come back to him, and he will wait for as long as he has to for you. The choice is up to you."  
  
The pair stands in silence, neither of them saying a word. Asuka stands up, placing her hands on her hips.  
  
"So how do I get out of here?"  
  
Tabris smiles and takes a step back. The image disappears, shrouding the area in darkness once again.  
  
"That is something you must do on your own. You must have the will to live to leave this place," he says and pauses for a moment, "My time here is up. Until we meet again."  
  
Tabris floats up and disappears into the darkness. Asuka watches as he vanishes and then turns her attention to trying to get out of wherever she was.  
  
"I must have the will live," she says to herself, trying to figure out what he meant by it.  
  
Then an idea hits her. She closes her eyes and concentrates her thoughts on a single person, the person that loves her and that she loves. After what seemed like an eternity, she opens her eyes and sees a white light in the distance. She wastes no time and runs towards the light.  
  
"Wait for me, Shinji," she thinks as she enters the light.  
  
In the hospital room, the machines beep and buzz with activity as they read changes in the patient. Slowly, the pair of eyes open, allowing the emerald-blue orbs beneath to gaze up at the ceiling. Asuka slowly sits up, ignoring the pain in her limbs. She closes her eyes and smiles.  
  
"Thank you, Tabris," she says out loud.  
  
Alarms begin to sound all over the base. Asuka instantly recognizes them as the Angel alarms. She looks around the room for her clothes and spies her plugsuit lying on her bed. Dressing quickly, she darts out of her room and heads towards Cage 7as if drawn by some unknown force.  
  
Asuka blinks and stares down at the Angel again.  
  
"Tabris?"  
  
Kaworu smiles at the giant.  
  
"Ah, so you do remember."  
  
Shinji turns his attention to Asuka and is about to say something when he is brought back to his senses as Unit 02 rams into his Eva. The two giants continue their struggle for superiority as they fall towards Terminall Dogma.  
  
At the command bridge, the crew watches the fight on the main screen when the screen suddenly shows static.  
  
"What's going on?" questions Misato.  
  
"We lost all feed from the shaft and Evas," promptly replies Makoto.  
  
Misato stares at the static-filled screen for a moment before walking over to Makoto.  
  
"If anything should go wrong, you know what to do," she whispers in his ear.  
  
He nods, fully understanding what she means. The rest of the crew tenses up, praying for the best scenario.  
  
The battle between the two Evas stops abruptly as they reach the end the shaft and crash into a shallow lake. Kaworu floats down shortly after and makes his way further into Terminal Dogma. Shinji wills Unit 01 to its feet and takes quick look around. The chamber is shaped like a dome, with the hole of the shaft directly above them. Pillars rise up in random areas from the shallow 'lake' in the room. At one end of the chamber is a large passage way, through which Kaworu is currently floating through.  
  
"Kaworu!" shouts Shinji through the Eva's external speakers as he charges after the Angel.  
  
He comes to an abrupt halt as something holds him back. As he turns around, he sees Unit 02 gripping his Eva's right leg. Gripping the Progressive Knife, he jabs it into the Eva's neck, deactivating it.  
  
"I'm sorry about that, Asuka."  
  
She shakes her head.  
  
"It's ok, I understand. Now let's get that damn Angel."  
  
Further down the corridor, Kaworu floats in front of the massive doors known as 'Heaven's Gate.' With a flick of his hand, the massive steel doors part, allowing him access to within.  
  
"So, I have finally made it."  
  
He looks up at the giant white crucified form. The creature makes no movement as the Angel approaches. Kaworu looks over the being for a moment before frowning.  
  
"This is not Adam," he mumbles.  
  
He remains in place as he ponders over the new development. Then, a smile forms on his face.  
  
"Now I understand."  
  
A loud crash catches his attention. He turns around only to face the giant form of Evangelion Unit 01. He smiles as it makes its way towards him. The Eva lunges out with its massive right hand and gasps the Angel. Kaworu looks up at the Eva's face.  
  
"Kaworu, why?" pleadingly asks Shinji.  
  
"Because I am destined to live forever, though all others will die. I can choose to live, or to die."  
  
"What are you talking about?" shouts Asuka.  
  
"Only one can survive. I want you to be the ones who continue to live. If my death will allow you to live, then may it be so. Death is the only true release for me, so please, erase me now."  
  
Inside the entry plug, Shinji and Asuka both look at each other, unsure of what to do.  
  
"But Kaworu.," begs Shinji.  
  
"If I do not die, then you will die. It is my last wish."  
  
"Wait. If you're an Angel, then why did you help me?" asks Asuka.  
  
Kaworu smiles as he closes his eyes for a moment.  
  
"I did it because I knew of what I would be doing. It is my gift to the two of you as a kind of retribution, you could say."  
  
Shinji's hands tremble as he grips onto the controls in the entry plug. He looks up as Asuka places her hands over his.  
  
"Asuka-chan."  
  
She smiles down at him.  
  
"We'll do this together, to fulfill his wish."  
  
He nods and turns his attention back to the Angel in his Eva's hands.  
  
"Hopefully we shall meet again, Shinji, Asuka," he says with a smile.  
  
The giant Eva nods its head in response.  
  
"Goodbye, Kaworu," both pilots say at the exact same time.  
  
Kaworu closes his eyes and waits for his end. The Eva closes its grip around the Angel, producing a wet crunching noise. A round object falls from the top of its hand and splashes into the pool of LCL below, sending ripples out in its wake. 


End file.
